Men  woFiTH 

KEMEMBE^ING 


William  duEST 


PRESENTED  TO  THE  LIBRARY 


OF 


PRINCETON  THE0L0GIC]1L  SEMINI5RY 


BY 


|VIrs.  Alexander  Proudfit.  

BX  7795    .G7  G83  1880 
Guest,  William,  1818-1891 
Stephen  Grellet 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/stephengrelletOOgues_0 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


WILLIAM  GUEST,  F.G.S., 

Ajithor  of  "Fidelia  Fiske,"  "  The  Young  Maiis  Safeguard  in  the  Perils  nf 
the  Age"  etc. 


H  ODDER   AND  STOUGHTON, 

27,    PATERNOSTER  ROW. 

IIDCCCLXXX 
\All  rights  reserr'ed.] 


Butler  &  Tanner, 
The  SelivooJ  Printing  Works, 
rronie,  and  LonUon. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


HE  following  is  the  Life  of  a  man  who  saw  the  last 


days  of  the  great  French  Monarchy,  shared  the 
sufferings  of  the  old  French  Nobility,  traversed  Europe 
several  times  on  a  mission  of  mercy  during  the  wars  of 
the  First  Napoleon,  assisted  after  the  peace  in  the  de- 
velopment of  a  new  period,  was  one  among  the  first  and 
foremost  workers  for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  aided  in  the 
advancement  of  the  United  States  Republic  to  its  pre- 
sent greatness,  and  lived  on  beyond  the  middle  of  this 
century.  This  remarkable  life  has  hitherto  been  little 
known  beyond  the  circle  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  The 
"  Memoirs  of  the  Life  and  Gospel  Labours  of  Stephen 
Grellet,"  edited  by  Benjamin  Seebohm,  are  contained  in 
two  large  and  closely  printed  octavo  volumes,  and  have 
passed  thiough  three  Editions.  There  is  also  an  interest- 
ing and  good  sized  volume,  called  an  "Abridged  Edition," 
by  R.  and  C.  R.  Alsop,  but  written  mainly  for  the  use  of 
Friends.  Messrs.  Samuel  Harris  &  Co.  have  courteously 
granted  permission  to  prepare  in  a  briefer  form  a  Life 
intended  for  the  general  Christian  public. 


W.  G. 


Millon-on-  Thames. 


r 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 
GUIDING  PRINCIPLES  I 

CHAPTER  II. 
THE  YOUNG  NOBLE  :  PREPARATION  FOR  HIS  MISSION  5 

CHAPTER  III. 
THE  GREAT  CHANGE  18 

CHAPTER  IV. 
THE  DIVINE  CALL  28 

CHAPTER  V. 

DIVINE  INTERPOSITIONS  38 

CHAPTER  VI. 

VISIT  TO  HIS  PATERNAL  HOME  50 

CHAPTER  VII. 

"  INSTANT  IN  SEASON,  OUT  OF  SEASON  "    .        .  .64 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

FIRST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN  70 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IX.  PAGE 
SECOND  VISIT  TO  EUROPE  83 

CHAPTER  X. 
MISSION  TO  THE  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS    .  I03 

CHAPTER  XI. 

SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA  II 8 

CHAPTER  XII. 
VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE  I44 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

IN  SOUTHERN  ITALY  1 53 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

IN  ROME  163 

CHAPTER  X\'. 

THIRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE     .        .         .        .  178 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

FAITHFUL  WITNESSING         .        .  .         .        .  I92 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE   ....  -199 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  CLOSING  YEARS     ....  .222 


CHAPTER  I. 


GUIDIMG  PRINCIPLES. 


HE  few  introductory  remarks  of  this  chapter  will 


rather  as  the  statement  of  principles  of  which  we  need 
in  this  age  to  be  reminded. 

The  latter  part  of  the  third  quarter  of  this  century 
brought  into  full  manifestation  two  totally  opposite 
schools  of  opinion.  On  the  one  side  were  eminent  and 
distinguished  students  of  biology,  physics,  and  philo- 
sophy, who  having  started  on  their  investigations  with  the 
principle  that  the  supernatural  is  not  the  field  for  human 
inquiries,  have  apparently  come  to  admit  design  without 
a  designer,  to  teach  a  sublime  scheme  of  evolution 
which  has  proceeded,  not  with  a  presiding  will,  but  on 
self-acting  laws,  and  have  thus,  by  a  willing  dismissal  ot 
the  Creator,  turned  the  faces  of  not  a  few  in  this  generation 
away  from  the  light,  so  that  they  confront  only  negations 
and  ever  deepening  darkness.  Unspeakably  melancholy 
has  this  become  to  a  younger  race  of  scientific  inquirers, 
while  in  lower  levels  of  society  the  disbelief  has  filtered 
as  a  baleful  poison  of  vice,  licence,  and  corruption. 
On  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  vast  multitude  of  rare 
cultured  and  earnest  Christian  believers  who,  com- 
pelled to  note  in  the  world  and  in  human  history  indu- 
bitable proofs  of  the  presence  and  temptations  of  the  spirit 
of  evil,  and  at  the  same  time  irrefutable  evidences  of  the 
presence  among  men  of  a  Saviour,  are  prepared  for  a 
cordial  acceptance  of  the  profound  spirituality  of  the 


regarded  as  mere  truisms,  but 


B 


2 


S  TRniEy  GREL  L  E  T. 


New  Testament,  and  for  a  self-less  and  saintly  consecra- 
tion to  the  well-being  of  the  human  race.  The  latter 
class  have  happily  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  their 
fellow-workers,  and  of  the  results  of  their  lives.  To 
confirm  their  faith  in  the  mission  of  the  Comforter,  and 
in  His  abiding  guidance,  is  the  main  end  in  offering  this 
life  of  Stephen  Grellet. 

An  intelligent  reader  who  should  come  for  the  first 
time  to  the  pages  of  the  New  Testament  would  be  im- 
pressed by  the  emphatic,  tender,  and  unambiguous 
manner  in  which  Christ  promised  the  abiding  presence 
among  men  of  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  truth. 

The  Spirit  was  to  "  convince  "  the  world.  Until  the 
end  of  the  age  He  was  to  remain  with  the  race  for  whom 
the  Son  of  God  had  offered  the  great  expiation.  Men 
in  a  moral  graveyard  of  death  would  "  hear  His  voice 
and  live."  While  the  grace  would  be  for  all  men,  the 
effectual  operation  would  be  in  His  hands  to  whom  the 
eternal  Father  had  "given  authority  to  execute  judg- 
ment also,  because  He  is  the  Son  of  man  "  (John  v.  27). 

Endowed  by  the  Spirit,  Christ's  servants  were  to  do 
"  greater  works  "  than  the  Master's.  The  acts  of  His 
incarnation  specially  bore  the  mark  of  being  works 
on  nature.  The  "  greater  works  "  of  His  disciples  were 
to  be  moral  and  spiritual. 

There  was,  however,  to  be  a  condition — the  entire  and 
cordial  ■  acceptance  of  the  Divine  will.  His  followers 
were  to  "  abide "  in  fellowship  of  heart  and  purpose 
with  their  ascended  Lord.  Only  thus  could  they  bear 
this  "  abundant  fruit."  As  they  willed  and  planned  and 
acted  with  Him,  they  might  "  ask  what  they  would,  and 
it  should  be  done  unto  them."  Thus  would  they  be 
"  vessels  meet  for  the  Master's  use,"  ready  for  every 
emergency  and  for  every  demand  of  their  Lord  in  the 
way  of  service  and  of  testimony. 


GUIDING  rRlXCiriES. 


3 


In  reading  such  lives  as  those  of  St.  Paul,  of  St. 
Bernard,  of  Boniface,  of  Francis  de  Sales,  of  Fletcher, 
of  Bramwell,  and  McCheyne,  we  find  these  conditions 
fulfilled.  AVe  shall  note  the  same  habitual  waiting  upon 
Christ,  the  same  sympathy  with  Him,  and  the  "  hearken- 
ing to  His -word,"  in  the  apostolic  life  of  Stephen 
Grellet.  We  shall  see  that  after  this  calm  and  pro- 
longed looking  unto  the  Lord  he  became  a  witness  for 
Him  during  a  terrific  crisis  of  European  history;  and  that 
over  the  two  hemispheres  he  bore  a  testimony  adapted, 
with  marvellous  wisdom,  alike  to  dwellers  in  palaces  and 
in  slaves'  huts,  to  the  inmates  of  ecclesiastical  mansions 
and  common  jails,  and  yet  none  the  less  suited  to 
the  periodic  meetings  of  Friends  and  to  large  assemblies 
of  Roman  Catholics  and  Protestants  in  Europe  and 
America. 

By  the  twofold  watching  for  heavenly  direction — the 
inward  voice  and  external  providences — we  shall,  in 
following  the  narrative,  observe  how  a  humble,  but  not 
ungifted  man,  seldom  testified  in  any  one  circle,  and 
over  not  less  than  sixty  years,  without  witnessing  those 
"greater  works"  of  moral  awakening  and  of  spiritual 
revival  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  spake. 

This  also  we  shall  learn,  and  the  lesson  is  not  un- 
needed  in  the  present  time.  The  subject  of  this 
memoir  was  like  "  the  Servant  of  Jehovah,"  of  whom  it 
was  predicted — "He  shall  not  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor 
cause  His  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  streets."  By 
the  craving  for  crowds  and  numbers,  by  the  placard 
sensation  and  advertisement,  by  mechanical  methods 
for  revival  services,  we  may  be  fulfilling  the  Lord's 
will.  But  by  relying  on  these  methods,  and  by  the 
inflexible  fore-arrangements  for  them,  we  may  uncon- 
sciously be  out  of  harmony  with  the  Spirit's  guidance^ 
and  out  of  sympathy  with  Him  who  gave  His  sublime 


4 


STEPHEN  GRELI.ET. 


teaching  on  spiritual  worship  to  one  sohtary  woman ; 
who  "  opened  the  Scriptures,"  during  several  hours  on  the 
day  of  His  resurrection,  to  two  disciples,  both  obscure, 
and  the  name  of  one  of  whom  we  do  not  even  know ; 
and  who  directed  the  evangelist  Philip  to  make  a  long 
journey  in  order  to  relieve  the  solicitudes  and  guide 
into  the  way  of  peace  one  inquiring  man. 

The  life  of  Stephen  Grellet  will  teach  one  other  im- 
portant lesson.  In  reading  the  history  of  Jesus  we 
could  hardly  conceive  of  His  laying  out  His  plans  at  the 
beginning  of  a  week,  and  resolving  that  this  should  be 
done  on  the  first  day,  that  and  the  other  on  the 
days  following.  He  lived  in  such  unity  with  God's 
providence  that  the  path  of  service  was  constantly  made 
plain  as  He  came  up  to  it.  In  like  manner  will  this 
guidance  be  apparent  as  we  follow  the  course  of  the 
subject  of  this  memoir.  He  travelled  over  Europe  four 
times,  made  long  journeys  in  the  work  of  the  ministry 
and  of  benevolence  in  America,  and  did  all  this  under 
an  impulse  and  monition  that  never  failed  him.  There 
was  a  wonderful  timeliness  and  a  natural  but  beautiful 
sequence  in  his  visits  and  intercourse  with  men.  He 
I  believed  that  he  should  be  taught  of  God  on  every  new 
I  emergency,  and  it  was  so.  To  many  servants  of  Christ 
who  in  our  time  desire  to  live  this  life  of  faith,  this 
record  of  a  long  but  calmly  consecrated  and  most  useful 
life  may  give  appropriate  encouragement  and  direction. 

We  may  then  dismiss  the  apprehension  that  the  world 
has  lost  its  youth,  and  that  its  fires  are  dying  out.  The 
Spirit  of  God  can  never  be  old.  While  He  is  the 
abiding  witness  for  Christ  in  tlie  world  there  will  always 
be  a  substantial  identity  in  the  Christian  confessions, 
and  always  be  guidance  and  usefulness  shed  over  those 
who  believe  and  teach  that  Eternal  Love  is  in  every  age 
yearning  to  bless  and  save  a  fallen  and  tempted  race. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  YOUNG  NOBLE:  THE  PREPARATION  FOR  HIS 
MISSION. 


J__v  became  a  Friend,  called  Stephen  Grellet,  was 
born  on  November  2nd,  1773,  in  France,  in  the  city  of 
Limoges,  capital  of  the  modern  department  of  Haute 
Vienne,  and  situated  in  the  beautiful  district  of  Limousin. 
He  was  the  fifth  child  of  Gabriel  Marc  Antoine  de  Grellet 
and  of  his  wife  Susanne  de  Senamaud. 

His  parents  were  wealthy,  and  ranked  high  among 
the  nobility  of  that  district.  During  Etienne's  child- 
hood, his  father,  Gabriel  de  Grellet,  resided  on  his 
patrimonial  estate.  He  was  owner  of  extensive  porcelain 
manufactories  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Limoges,  as  well 
as  proprietor  of  some  iron  works.  For  some  years  he  was 
comptroller  of  the  Mint,  and,  at  one  time,  formed  part 
of  the  household  of  Louis  XVI.  As  the  intimate  friend 
and  counsellor  of  the  king,  he  was  accustomed  to  attend 
service  with  him  in  his  private  chapel.  A  title  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  for  the  benefits  he  had  rendered  to  his 
country,  especially  by  the  introduction  of  the  manufac- 
ture of  superior  porcelain  ware.  His  porcelain  works 
were  afterwaids  purchased  by  the  king,  just  before  the 
French  Revolution  ;  but,  on  account  of  that  event,  never 
paid  for. 

The  ancestors  of  the  mother  of  Etienne  de  Grellet  had 
for  many  generations  resided  at  Limoges.  They  were 
all  persons  occupying  high  positions  in  society.  On 
both  sides  Grellet's  parents  were  Roman  Catholics.  Two 


GRELLET,  afterwards,  when  he 


6 


STEP/IEN  GRELLF.r. 


of  his  sisters  retired  from  the  world  to  seek  the  holier 
life  of  the  "  religieuse."  It  is  all  but  certain  that  such 
an  example  would  make  a  strong  impression  on  the 
affectionate  and  aspiring  mind  of  their  brother.  The  high 
moral  bearing  of  his  father,  and  the  uniform  kindness  of 
his  liome,  had  also  their  influence  over  the  tender  and 
susceptible  boy.  His  direct  religious  advantages  were, 
however,  few.  He  tells  us  :  "  My  parents  were  desirous 
to  give  their  children  such  an  education  as  should  make 
them  accomplished  in  the  eyes  of  the  world ;  but, 
though  trained  in  the  precepts  of  a  high-toned  morality, 
they  received  little  direct  religious  instruction.  The 
simple  truths  of  Holy  Scripture  were  not  the  food  of 
their  early  childhood, — the  '  principles  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christ '  were  not  taught  them,  and  they  had  scarcely 
'  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost.' " 

A  quick  susceptibility  to  religious  impressions  seems, 
nevertheless,  to  have  marked  the  youthful  days  of 
Etienne  de  Grellet,  and  early  indications  of  the  work  of 
Divine  grace  upon  his  heart  were  not  wanting.  When 
quite  a  child,  his  thoughts  on  the  omnipotence  of  the 
Divine  Being,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  so  deeply 
affected  him,  that  he  never  afterwards  lost  the  recollec- 
tion. At  the  early  age  of  five  or  six,  the  efficacy  of 
prayer  to  an  omnipresent  and  omniscient  God  was  re- 
markably taught  him.  His  juvenile  powers  had  been 
overtasked  by  a  long  Latin  exercise ;  he  was  quite  dis- 
heartened. Alone,  in  his  chamber,  he  looked  abroad 
upon  the  glories  of  the  external  world,  and  remembered 
that  it  was  God  who  had  created  them  all.  The  thought 
arose  in  his  heart — "  Cannot  the  same  God  give  me 
memory  also  ?  "  He  knelt  down  at  the  foot  of  his  bed, 
and  poured  out  his  soul  in  prayer  to  the  Lord.  On 
re-perusing  his  lesson,  he  found  himself  master  of  it ; 
and  henceforward  he  was  able  to  acquire  learning  with 


THE  YOUNG  NOLLE. 


7 


increased  facility.  Even  in  his  old  age  he  could  look 
back  to  "  happy  days,"  when  his  childish  heart  was 
deeply  afifected,  and  remember,  "  with  grateful  emotion," 
the  places  in  his  father's  house,  where,  "  on  his  knees, 
with  his  eyes  flowing  with  tears,  he  had  poured  forth  his 
supplications  unto  God."  Having  early  learnt  to  repeat 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  he  exclaims,  "  Oh,  how  was  my  heart 
contrited,  while  uttering  the  words,  'Our  Father,  who 
art  in  heaven.' "  To  be  permitted  thus  to  look  up  to 
his  God,  to  call  Him  Father,  and  to  consider  himself  as 
His  child,  filled  his  young  soul  with  the  tenderness  of 
reverential  awe. 

To  those  who  believe  that  (so  far  as  we  know)  the 
chief  object  of  Eternal  Love  is  man,  and  that  for  man's 
sake  God  raises  up  His  chosen  witnesses  in  every  age,  it 
will  be  readily  admitted  that  Divine  love  was  educating 
Etienne  de  Grellet  for  the  place  he  was  to  fill  in  a  time 
of  trouble  such  as  Europe  had  not  previously  known. 
Happily,  schools  and  colleges  in  France  were  no  longer 
under  the  sway  of  the  Jesuits.  Young  Etienne  was  sent 
to  the  University  of  the  Oratorians  at  Lyons.  It  was  a 
well-ordered  institution.  There  were,  with  the  professors 
and  officers  of  the  establishment,  about  a  thousand 
inmates.  The  religious  principles  were  those  of  the 
Jansenists.  "  Corruption  and  levity  "  were  repressed, 
order  and  discipline  were  carefully  maintained,  and  the 
literary  advantages  were  of  a  high  and  varied  nature. 

Etienne  was  endowed  with  rare  capacities  for  learning. 
He  had,  moreover,  a  graceful  address,  and  assiduously 
cultivated  suavity  and  self-reliance.  He  rose  rapidly  in 
the  university,  and  obtained  advanced  prizes  for  his 
classical  acquisitions.  It  was  at  this  time  that  he  laid 
the  foundation  of  that  fortitude,  skill  in  languages,  and 
general  knowledge,  which  fitted  him  so  singularly  for 
moving  with  such  freedom  and  ascendancy  among  all 


8 


STEPHEN  GRELT.ET. 


classes  of  society.  It  was  at  this  period  also  that,  to  use 
his  o#n  words,  he  was  again  "  favoured  with  the  Lord's 
gracious  visitations  to  his  soul."  To  this  he  afterwards 
gratefully  refers  when,  commemorating  the  Divine  good- 
ness, he  exclaims  :  "  Oh,  the  heart-meltings  I  have  known 
— fervent  were  some  of  the  prayers  I  then  put  up,  Avhen 
on  my  knees,  my  cheeks  were  bedewed  with  tears. 

"  As  we  were  educated,"  he  continues,  "  by  Roman 
Catholics,  and  in  their  principles,  we  were  required  to 
confess  once  in  every  month.  I  had  chosen  for  my  con- 
fessor one  whom  I  thought  to  be  a  pious  and  conscien- 
tious man  ;  and,  as  I  could  not  understand  how  it  was 
possible  for  a  man  to  forgive  my  sins,  I  asked  him  what 
he  could  say  to  satisfy  my  mind  on  that  point,  for  I  con- 
sidered that  God  alone  could  forgive  sins  ;  a  doctrine, 
however,  which  I  had  never  heard  of  He,  seeing 
further  than  many  other  priests,  told  me  that  he  con- 
sidered himself  invested  with  such  authority,  only  so  far 
as  that,  if  I  was  sincere,  and  truly  penitent  in  the  sight 
of  God,  he  was  the  instrument  through  whom  informa- 
tion was  given  me  that  my  sins  were  forgiven.  This 
rational  answer  gained  him  much  of  my  confidence  and 
respect.    He  bestowed  a  fatherly  care  upon  me. 

"  From  my  earliest  days,  there  was  that  in  me  which 
would  not  allow  me  implicitly  to  believe  the  various 
doctrines  I  was  taught.  Though  I  was  told  that  they 
were  mysteries  which  I  was  not  to  seek  to  see  into,  yet 
my  reasoning  faculties  brought  me  to  the  root  of  the 
matter ;  from  created  objects  to  the  Creator,  from  time 
to  eternity." 

Before  leaving  the  university  he  received  confirmation 
according  to  the  rites  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
and  joined  in  participating  in  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  But  he  grew  doubtful  of  what  Roman 
bishops  and  priests  could  do  for  him. 


THE  YOUNG  lYOni.E. 


9 


Among  Avhat  he  termed  "  religious  openings"  at  Lyons, 
one  left  a  deep  impression  ;  and  the  remembrance  of  it 
helped  to  sustain  his  spirit  under  many  subsequent 
exercises  and  trials. 

"I  thought  I  saw,"  he  says,  "a  large  company  of 
persons,  or  rather  purified  spirits,  on  one  of  those  float- 
ing vessels  which  they  have  at  Lyons,  on  the  Rhone, 
occupied  by  washerwomen.  They  were  washing  linen. 
I  wondered  to  see  what  beating  and  pounding  there  was 
upon  it,  but  how  beautifully  white  it  came  out  of  their 
hands.  I  was  told  I  could  not  enter  God's  kingdom 
until  I  underwent  such  an  operation, —  that  unless  I  was 
thus  washed  and  made  white,  I  could  have  no  part  in 
the  dear  Son  of  God.  For  weeks  I  was  absorbed  in  the 
consideration  of  the  subject — the  washing  of  regeneration. 
I  had  never  heard  of  such  things  before,  and  I  greatly 
wondered  that,  having  been  baptized  with  water,  and 
having  also  received  what  they  call  the  sacrament  of 
confirmation,  I  should  have  to  pass  through  such  a 
purification ;  for  I  had  never  read  or  heard  any  one 
speak  of  such  a  baptism." 

Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  said,  "  It  is  not  learning  or 
genius  that  makes  the  truly  effective  man,  but  moral 
thoughtfulness."  The  thoughts  of  his  heart,  of  which  the 
foregoing  vision  was  the  outgrowth,  led  Etienne  to  feel 
astonished  that,  spite  of  ceremonies,  confirmations,  sacra- 
ments, and  rites  of  priests,  his  heart  still  was  unchanged, 
his  conscience  and  sense  of  sin  unrelieved,  and  his  evil 
propensities  still  unsubdued.  As  might  therefore  have 
been  expected,  after  leaving  the  university,  he  "  sought 
his  happiness  in  the  world's  delights,"  gave  full  sway  to 
his  inclinations,  and  lost  his  earlier  religious  convictions. 
Nevertheless,  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Christ  was  lovingly 
drawing  him  on.  He  records  :  "  I  sought  after  happi- 
ness in  the  world.    I  expected  to  find  it.    I  went  in 


lO 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


pursuit_of  it  from  one  party  of  pleasure  to  another ;  but 
I  did  not  find  it,  and  I  wondered  that  the  name  of 
pleasure  could  be  given  to  anything  of  the  kind."  This 
is  remarkable  language  for  a  youth,  and  deeply  interesting 
is  it  to  witness  that  great  and  memorable  crisis  in  the 
history  of  a  soul,  of  which  myriads  of  saved  ones  bear 
witness,  when  the  law  of  purity  is  consented  to  that 
it  is  good,  but  another  law  in  the  members  wars  against 
this  law  of  the  mind,  and  the  struggling  spirit  cries  out, 
"  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  " 

Deliverance  was  to  come  to  Etienne  de  Grellet 
through  a  baptism  of  fire  and  a  storm  of  terrors  and 
desolation.  The  French  Revolution  of  1789  broke  out ; 
that  time  of  horrors,  that  awful  nemesis  of  wrong.  The 
De  Grellets  belonged  to  the  nobility  of  France,  on  whom 
the  chastisement  had  chiefly  to  fall ;  and,  like  all  such 
tribulations,  it  fell  upon  tlie  innocent  with  the  guilty. 
The  haughtiness  of  the  nobles  forbad  all  compromise 
with  the  popular  party.  A  hundred  thousand  of  the 
most  wealthy  and  influential  landowners  fled  their 
country,  to  unite  with  the  armies  of  the  continental 
powers  in  bringing  about  a  counter  revolution.  Etienne, 
with  his  brothers,  joined  the  fugitives,  and  proceeded  to 
unite  with  the  royalists.  He  left  his  father,  and  his 
father's  house,  and  never  saw  them  again.  At  Mont 
Midi,  on  the  way  to  Germany,  he  thus  records  a  ren- 
contre :  "  I  shudder  when  I  remember  the  state  of 
insensibility  I  was  in.  I  was  not  the  least  moved  wlien 
surrounded  by  people  and  soldiers,  who  lavished  their 
abuse  upon  us,  and  threatened  to  hang  me  to  the  lamp- 
post. I  coolly  stood  by,  my  hands  in  my  pockets,  being 
provided  with  three  pairs  of  pistols,  two  of  which  were 
double-barrelled.  I  concluded  to  wait  to  see  what  they 
would  do,  and  resolved,  after  destroying  as  many  of  them 
as  I  could,  to  take  my  own  life  with  the  last.  No 


THE  YOUXG  NOBLE. 


II 


thouglit  of  eternity  was  then  before  me,  no  sense  of 
remembrance  that  there  is  a  God." 

Probably  his  coohiess,  by  God's  good  care,  preserved 
him  from  suffering  or  doing  injury. 

The  rendezvous  of  the  nobility  was  Coblentz,  whither 
the  French  princes  had  fled.  There  the  winter  and  spring 
of  1 79 1-2  were  spent  in  preparations  for  the  approach- 
ing campaign  in  France. 

"  Everything  about  me,"  says  Etienne,  ^' and  the  very 
nature  of  the  work  I  was  engaged  in,  was  highly  calcu- 
lated to  destroy  every  fibre  remaining  of  those  tender 
impressions  I  had  heretofore  received  ;  but  my  gracious 
Lord  did  not  wholly  forsake  me.  I  was  preserved  from 
those  gross  evils  that  are  too  generally  attendant  on  an 
army.  But  oh,  the  height  of  my  infatuation!  I  attri- 
buted my  preservation  to  my  own  reasoning  powers ;  for 
I  viewed  the  vices  to  which  my  companions  were  ad- 
dicted in  the  same  light  as,  a  little  before,  I  had  done 
jovial  parties  for  dancing,  etc.,  etc. ;  concluding  that 
what  degrades  the  man  can  yield  him  neither  true  com- 
fort nor  pleasure.  Divine  light  would,  nevertheless,  at 
seasons,  pierce  into  the  inmost  recesses  of  my  benighted 
heart.  I  was  fond  of  solitude,  and  had  many  retired 
walks  through  the  woods  and  over  the  hills.  I  delighted 
to  visit  the  deserted  hermitages  which  formerly  abounded 
on  the  Rhine.  I  envied  such  a  life  of  retirement  and  of 
purity.  I,  too,  looked  forward  wistfully  to  such  a  life  ; 
but  I  saw  also  that  unless  I  could  leave  behind  me  my 
earthly-mindedness,  my  pride,  vanity,  and  every  carnal 
propensity,  an  outward  solitude  could  afford  me  no 
shelter." 

In  the  summer  of  1792  young  Grellet  was  in  the 
King's  Horse  Guards.  Accompanied  by  the  Austrians 
and  Prussians,  the  army  entered  France.  But  disasters 
came,  and  the  forces  were  soon  after  disbanded.    It  was 


12 


S TEPIIEN  GREI.LE  T. 


not  the  will  of  God  to  save  France  from  the  fiery  deluge 
which  was  to  follow.  Etienne  had  stood  in  battle  array. 
He  had  seen  many  falling  around  him.  But  he  often 
afterwards,  with  peculiar  thankfulness  to  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God,  reverts  to  the  fact  that  he  was  in  a  corps 
of  reserved  troops,  and  was  preserved  from  the  shedding 
of  the  blood  of  his  countrymen. 

After  the  retreat  of  the  princes'  army,  the  young  Ue 
Grellets  becam.e  prisoners  of  war,  and  were  ordered  to 
be  shot.  Again  God  in  mercy  preserved  Etienne.  Just 
as  the  time  for  the  execution  of  the  sentence  had  come, 
a  commotion  arose  in  the  hostile  army,  and  he  and  his 
brothers  escaped,  first  to  Brussels,  and  thence  reached 
Holland  in  safety.  In  Amsterdam  they  met  with  friends. 
Their  hearts  were,  however,  drawn  to  their  beloved 
parents,  who  were  in  the  midst  of  the  vicissitudes  of  the 
Revolution.  But  to  return  to  them  as  young  soldiers  of 
the  King's  Guards  would  aggravate  instead  of  alleviating 
their  trials.  Danger  threatened  on  every  side.  Etienne 
and  one  of  his  brothers  resolved  to  go  to  South  America. 
Having  obtained  a  passage  on  board  a  ship  bound  for 
Demerara,  they  arrived  there,  January  1793. 

That  visit  to  a  slave  colony  was  a  part  of  the  training 
Etienne  de  Grellet  was  to  have  to  educate  him  for  his 
subsequent  mission,  and  his  witness  in  England  and  in 
the  United  States. 

There  have  been  few  brighter  or  more  honoured 
chapters  in  human  history  than  the  record  of  the  bene- 
volent labours  of  the  Friends  on  behalf  of  slaves,  and 
De  Grellet  was  to  do  much  to  sustain  among  them 
abolitionist  principles. 

The  two  brothers  were  provided  with  letters  of  intro- 
duction from  their  friends  in  Holland  to  some  of  the 
principal  planters,  who  received  them  with  much  hospi- 
tality.   Mercantile  pursuits  soon  occupied  their  attention. 


TFiE   YOUNG  NOBLE. 


13 


and  during  a  residence  of  two  years  in  the  colony,  which 
then  belonged  to  Holland,  they  had  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  much  of  the  horrors  of  slavery,  and  of  becoming 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  ruinous  effects  of  the 
iniquitous  system,  both  upon  the  coloured  and  the  white 
population.  They  were  much  shocked,  on  their  first 
arrival  in  the  colony,  in  observing  the  degraded  con- 
dition of  the  miserable  descendants  of  the  African  race, 
whose  almost  naked  bodies  bore  evident  marks  of  the 
cruelty  of  their  oppressors,  and  whose  backs  were  fre- 
quently covered  with  large  scars,  left  by  the  lash  of  the 
whip ;  some,  still  bleeding  under  the  strokes  recently 
inflicted,  had  cayenne  pepper  and  salt  rubbed  into  their 
wounds,  to  increase  their  suffering.  Such  was  the  im- 
pression made  upon  Etienne  by  the  scenes  of  cruelty 
and  anguish  he  witnessed,  that,  many  years  after,  the 
sound  of  a  whip  in  the  street  would  "  chill  his  blood,"  in 
the  remembrance  of  the  agony  of  the  poor  slaves  ;  and 
he  "  felt  convinced  that  there  was  no  excess  of  wicked- 
ness and  malice  of  which  a  slaveholder,  or  driver,  might 
not  be  guilty." 

"Demerara,"  he  remarks,  "was  a  place  of  much 
dissipation.  I  do  not  recollect,  during  the  whole  time  I 
was  there,  that  I  saw  anything,  in  any  one,  that  indi- 
cated a  feeling  of  religious  sensibility.  There  was  no 
place  of  worship  ;  no  priest  of  any  kind,  except  one  who 
had  been  there  a  few  years,  who  was  a  dissolute,  drunken 
man.  It  was  of  the  Lord's  mercy  that  I,  and  the  whole 
land,  were  not  destroyed  like  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  At 
that  time,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  air,  who  rules  in  the 
hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedience,  had  obtained 
such  a  victory  over  me,  that  I  had  become  one  of  the 
number  of  those  infatuated  ones  who  call  good  evil,  and 
evil  good, — darkness  light,  and  light  darkness, — to  so 
daring  a  pitch  as  to  say,  Tliere  is  110  God !    I  not  only 


14 


STETHEN  GRELLET. 


thought  that  there  was  no  God,  and  consequently  no 
rehgion,  that  all  the  profession  of  it  was  but  priestcraft, 
invention,  and  deceit,  but  so  plausibly  had  I  compassed 
myself  with  sparks  of  my  own  kindling,  that  I  thought  I 
saw  a  way  to  steer  my  own  course.  I  had  become  a 
complete  disciple  of  Voltaire,  and  writers  of  that  class. 

"  How  low,  how  degraded,  did  I  see  man  to  be  !  And 
yet  I  could  dare  to  think  I  had  reached  to  that  correct- 
ness of  reasoning,  that  would  enable  me  to  rise  from  that 
sink  of  corruption,  and  live  a  virtuous  life, — even  con- 
cluding that  it  was  this  philosophy  that  preserved  me 
from  giving  way  to  the  vices  which  flowed  like  a  torrent 
about  me.  This  was  my  situation  when  the  Lord  Him- 
self interfered  to  release  me  from  that  land,  and  to  open 
a  way  for  my  emancipation  from  a  bondage  far  more  to 
be  dreaded  than  that  of  the  poor  slaves  whom  I  com- 
miserated." 

A  rumour,  apparently  well  sustained,  reached  Demerara 
in  the  spring  of  1795,  that  the  French  were  coming  to 
take  possession  of  the  colony.  A  fleet  was  seen 
approaching.  The  two  brothers  resolved  to  leave  im- 
mediately, and  they  took  passage  forthwith  in  an 
American  trading  vessel  which  was  on  the  point  of  sail- 
ing. As  they  were  leaving,  they  saw  the  fleet  approach- 
ing the  harbour  of  Demerara.  Not  until  their  arrival  in 
America  did  they  learn  that  the  alarming  rumour  was 
incorrect.    The  fleet  had  come  from  England. 

Mistakes  are  frequently  overruled  to  serve  the  pur- 
poses of  God.  Columbus  meant  to  find  a  short  way  to 
India  and  Cathay,  and  he  revealed  a  new  world  by  a 
"  splendid  blunder."  It  is  well  to  see  special  provi- 
dences ;  it  is  better  to  see  that  all  events  are  a  chain  of 
providence.  Young  Grellet  regarded  it  as  a  circumstance 
that  "  stood  prominent  in  the  days  of  his  pilgrimage," 
that  he  left  Demerara.     The  brothers'  prospects  in 


THE  YOUMG  h'OBLE. 


mercantile  pursuits  were  bright.  Had  they  found  earlier 
that  the  English  vessels  had  come  to  establish,  in  the  place 
of  anarchy  and  maladministration,  an  equitable  British 
rule,  it  is  little  likely  they  would  have  left  the  colony. 

A  series  of  providential  deliverances  followed  them. 
The  ship,  on  her  way  to  America,  was  chased  by  a 
privateer  off  Martinique.  But  the  boats  of  the  privateer 
could  not  be  lowered  because  of  the  violence  of  the 
storm.  Off  the  island  of  San  Domingo  the  vessel  on 
which  the  brothers  sailed  was  driven  amidst  sunken  rocks ; 
taking  the  crew  for  enemies,  the  islanders  pointed  their 
cannon  on  them.  In  the  extremity  of  their  strait  be- 
tween the  rocks  and  the  cannon,  they  unexpectedly  found 
a  narrow  channel  of  escape.  Some  days  after,  their  vessel 
took  fire ;  but  when  matters  appeared  hopeless,  the 
flames  were  restrained.  Off  the  New  Jersey  shore  a 
thick  fog  brought  the  ship  into  a  most  critical  position  ; 
in  a  few  minutes  all  on  board  would  have  perished  ;  for 
a  brief  moment  the  fog  cleared,  to  show  the  master  where 
the  vessel  was. 

De  Grellet  remarks  :  "Thus  did  Divine  Providence 
repeatedly  interfere,  and  prevent  my  sinking  into  ever- 
lasting misery.  But  such  was  the  obduracy  of  my  heart, 
all  that  time,  that  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  felt  any 
emotion  of  gratitude." 

Probably  every  life  would  bear  such  evidences  of  a 
controlling  Hand  if  it  were  carefully  watched.  The  acci- 
dents that  happen  to  men  occur  mostly  because,  in 
Divine  wisdom,  the  errors  and  faults  of  men  are  intended 
to  be  for  our  warning.  By  never  favouring  incompe- 
tence and  carelessness  God  educates  His  creatures. 

"  O  Father-eye,  that  hath  so  truly  watched, 
O  Father-hand,  that  hath  so  gently  led, 
O  Father-heart,  that  by  my  pr.aycr  is  touched, 
That  loved  me  first  when  I  was  cold  and  dead : 


i6 


STEPHE.V  GRELLET. 


Still  do  Thou  lead  me  on  with  faithful  care 
The  narrow  path  to  heaven  where  I  would  go, 

And  train  me  for  the  life  that  waits  me  there 

xVlike  through  love  and  loss,  through  weal  and  woe." 

Arrived  in  America,  the  brothers  first  took  up  their 
abode  on  Long  Island,  and  resolved  to  wait  until  they 
might  obtain  tidings  of  their  parents,  towards  whom  the 
hearts  of  the  fugitives  went  out  in  ceaseless  solicitude. 
Whether  it  would  be  safe  to  return  to  them,  and  to 
brave  the  chaos  of  conflict  and  enmities  on  which  France 
had  entered,  or  to  remain  in  the  United  States,  was  now 
their  anxious  inquiry.  Meanwhile,  they  settled  for  the 
summer  of  1795  at  Newtown.  Their  manners  and 
position  gave  them  access  to  the  best  society  of  the 
place.  On  taking  leave  of  their  father,  he  had  given 
them  a  maxim,  to  choose  the  company  of  "  their  seniors 
in  age,  and  their  superiors  in  ability."  This  counsel  from 
one  whom  they  ever  regarded  with  the  deepest  reverence 
and  affection  was  not  without  its  advantages.  In  New- 
town they  were  received  as  visitors  into  the  well-ordered 
family  of  an  officer  of  rank  who  had  served  in  the  British 
army.  His  wife  was  connected  by  lineage  with  Franklin, 
who  had  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  The 
family  was  one  of  culture  and  of  refined  manners. 
There  the  two  unfortunate  but  engaging  strangers  found 
often  a  congenial  home.  At  this  time  the  brothers  had 
little  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  and  Miss 
Corsa,  the  daughter  of  the  family,  who  was  accustomed 
to  converse  with  them  in  French,  recommended  the 
study  of  the  works  of  William  Penn,  the  illustrious 
ounder  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  Etienne  de 
Grellet,  regarding  Penn  as  a  statesman  and  politician, 
began  to  translate,  with  a  view  to  obtain  a  better  ac- 
quaintance with  the  English  language,  the  works  of  the 
great  Quaker.    It  was  a  study  pregnant  with  important 


THE  YOUNG  NOBLE. 


17 


issues,  and  formed  a  crisis  in  Etienne's  history.  He  was 
at  that  time  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and,  under  the  full 
sway  of  sceptical  opinions,  was  without  one  religious 
impression.  But  the  time  had  arrived  when  his  earlier 
cries  and  supplications  for  light  and  guidance  from  the 
Hearer  of  prayer  were  to  receive  an  answer.  The 
vicissitudes  the  young  noble  had  passed  through  had 
given  him  a  knowledge  of  men  and  of  the  times,  and 
now,  after  the  preparation,  the  chosen  vessel  was  to  be 
summoned  to  his  work. 

The  author  of  this  Life  of  De  Grellet  may  be  permitted 
to  say  that  an  extended  and  careful  observation  has 
taught  him  that  when  the  pointings  of  the  young  are 
turned  Christward,  although  early  impressions  may  seem 
evanescent,  the  first  direction  of  the  nature  returns  after 
many  days.  He  has  seen  also  that  the  disparagement 
of  early  piety,  which  is  the  fashion  with  some  persons, 
has  been  shown  afterwards,  in  a  young  person's  history, 
to  have  been  a  terrible  and  most  awful  mistake.  The 
right  course  is  by  every  method,  and  by  a  religious  at- 
mosphere of  home  or  school,  to  develop  reliance  on  a 
Divine  arm  and  on  a  Divine  wisdom,  and  to  form  that 
clinging  of  faith  which  is  natural  to  a  child.  Where 
there  is  a  rich  nature  there  will,  with  such  an  experi- 
ence, be  emotion.  To  disparage  the  emotion  in  such  a 
case  will  be  to  prevent  or  kill  the  faith.  The  child- 
emotion  will  be  corrected  by  time  ;  the  faith  though 
it  may  seem  to  falter,  will  through  God's  grace  assert 
itself  again. 


c 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  GREA  T  CHANGE. 


ARELY  was  tlic  call  louder  and  clearer  than  that 


the  most  pronounced  and  decided  manner  the  necessity 
and  nature  of  true  conversion  to  God.  I'he  followers  of 
Jesus  Christ  find  themselves  surrounded  by  proud  reason- 
ings, an  unbelieving  scepticism,  and  a  latitudinarian 
mingling  of  error  and  truth.  Upon  the  understanding 
and  acceptance  of  the  teaching  of  Christ,  with  respect  to 
the  regeneration  of  a  human  soul,  depend  alike  the 
stability  of  the  church  and  the  eternal  well-being  of 
individuals.  AVhat,  then,  is  this  great  change  which  is 
called  conversion?  It  is  an  inward  revelation  to  the 
human  spirit  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the  utterly  lost  state 
of  the  sinner.  It  is  the  birth  into  an  experience  of  the 
profound  pity  of  God,  the  Father  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh, 
who  strives  with  the  sinner  to  win  him  to  a  chosen 
obedience  to  Himself.  It  is,  under  the  teaching  of  the 
blessed  Spirit,  the  soul's  apprehension  of  the  surpassing 
and  transcendent  love  of  God,  who  has  set  forth  Christ 
Jesus  as  a  propitiation  for  sin,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
manifest  His  righteousness  in  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and 
of  satisfying  the  conscience  of  the  sinner.  It  is  the  new 
motive  that  thus  comes  into  the  life,  the  pointings  of  the 
new  nature  God-wards,  and  the  consecration  of  the  whole 
being  to  a  loving  acceptance  of  the  will  of  our  Father 
in  heaven.  This  has  been  the  mark  of  all  the  illustrious 
servants  of  God  in  the  b3'gone  times,  and  no  man  or 


Christian  teachers  to  assert  in 


id 


THE  GREAT  CHANGE. 


19 


woman,  even  in  the  lowliest  sphere,  has  done  any  really 
effective  and  permanent  service  in  turning  men  unto 
righteousness,  who  has  been  ignorant  of  this  great 
spiritual  change  and  renovation. 

We  ask  a  careful  noting  of  the  record  of  Etienne  de 
Grellet's  life  at  this  time.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
humble  and  truthful  of  men.  He  says,  at  the  beginning 
of  his  narrative  :  "  In  now  attempting  to  give  some 
small  account  of  the  merciful  dealings  of  the  Lord  with 
me,  for  my  near  relatives  and  friends,  it  is  very  far  from 
my  desire  to  perpetuate  my  memory  to  another  genera- 
tion; but  rather,  with  an  eye  to  the  advancement  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  to  encourage  my  fellow- 
pilgrims,  whilst  they  may  mark  some  of  their  o\vn 
footsteps  in  the  path  which  I  have  trodden  from  my 
youth  up,  to  lift  up  their  heads  in  hope ;  for,  in  pro- 
portion as  the  tribulations  of  the  gospel  have  abounded, 
so  its  consolations  have  much  more  abounded  by  Christ. 
My  soul  magnifies  the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  rejoices  in 
God  my  Saviour,  for  He  has  done  great  things  for  His 
servant ! " 

After  the  manner  of  the  Friends,  Etienne  dropped  the 
"  de "  before  his  name,  and  afterwards  adopted  an 
English  appellation.  From  this  time,  therefore,  he  will  be 
designated  by  the  name  he  bears  through  the  two  hemi- 
spheres— Stephen  Grellet.  It  is  impossible  to  describe 
his  conversion  in  a  better  way  than  he  himself  has  done. 
He  was  still  in  his  twenty-second  year. 

"  Through  adorable  mercy,  the  visitation  of  the  Lord 
was  now  again  extended  towards  me,  by  the  immediate 
openings  of  the  Divine  light  on  my  soul.  One  evening 
as  I  was  walking  in  the  fields  alone,  my  mind  being 
under  no  kind  of  religious  concern,  or  in  the  least 
excited  by  anything  I  had  heard  or  thought  of,  I  was 
suddenly  arrested  by  what  seemed  to  be  an  awful  voice 


20 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


proclaiming  the  words  '  Eternity  !  Eternity  !  Eternity  ! ' 
It  reached  my  very  soul, — my  whole  man  shook, — it 
brought  me,  like  Saul,  to  the  ground.  The  great  de- 
pravity and  sinfulness  of  my  heart  were  set  open  before 
me,  and  the  gulf  of  everlasting  destruction  to  which 
I  was  verging.  I  was  made  bitterly  to  cry  out,  '  If 
there  is  no  God,  doubtless  there  is  a  hell.'  I  found 
myself  in  the  midst  of  it.  For  a  long  time  it  seemed 
as  if  the  thundering  proclamation  was  yet  heard.  After 
that  I  remained  almost  whole  days  and  nights,  exercised 
in  prayer  that  the  Lord  would  have  mercy  upon  me, 
expecting  that  He  would  give  me  some  evidence  that 
He  had  heard  my  supplication.  But  for  this  I  was 
looking  to  some  outward  manifestation,  my  expectation 
being  entirely  of  that  nature. 

"  I  now  took  up  again  the  works  of  William  Penn, 
and  opened  upon  *  No  Cross,  No  Crown.'  The  title 
reached  my  heart.  I  proceeded  to  read  with  the  help 
of  my  dictionary,  having  to  look  for  the  meaning  of 
nearly  every  word.  I  read  it  twice  through  in  this 
manner.  I  had  never  met  with  anything  of  the  kind ; 
neither  had  I  felt  the  Divine  witness  in  me  operating  so 
powerfully  before. 

"  I  now  withdrew  from  company,  and  spent  most  of 
my  time  in  retirement,  and  in  silent  waiting  upon  God. 
I  began  to  read  the  English  Bible,  with  the  aid  of  my 
dictionary,  for  I  had  not  one  in  French.  I  was  much 
of  a  stranger  to  the  inspired  records.  I  had  not  even 
seen  them  before,  that  I  remember ;  what  I  had  heard 
of  any  part  of  their  contents,  was  only  detached  por- 
tions of  Prayer  Books. 

"Whilst  the  fallow  ground  of  my  heart  was  thus 
preparing,  my  brother  and  myself,  being  one  day  at 
Colonel  Corsa's,  heard  that  a  meeting  for  Divine 
worship  was  appointed  to  be  held  next  day  in  the 


THE  GREAT  CHANGE. 


21 


Friends'  Meeting  House,  by  two  English  women  on 
a  religious  visit  to  this  land,  to  which  we  were  invited. 
We  felt  inclined  to  go.  The  Friends  were  Deborah 
Darby  and  Rebecca  Young.  The  sight  of  them  brought 
solemn  feelings  over  me  ;  but  I  soon  forgot  the  servants, 
and  all  things  around  me  ;  for  in  an  inward  silent  frame 
of  mind,  seeking  for  the  Divine  presence,  I  was  favouied 
to  find  in  me  what  I  had  so  long,  and  with  so  many 
tears,  sought  for  without  me.  My  brother,  who  sat 
beside  me,  and  to  whom  the  silence,  in  which  the  fore- 
part of  the  meeting  was  held,  was  irksome,  repeatedly 
whispered  to  me,  '  Let  us  go  away.'  But  I  felt  the 
Lord's  power  in  such  a  manner,  that  my  inner  man  was 
prostrated  before  my  blessed  Redeemer.  A  secret  joy 
filled  me,  in  that  I  had  found  Him  after  whom  my  soul 
had  longed.  I  was  as  one  nailed  to  my  seat.  Shortly 
after,  one  or  two  men  Friends  in  the  ministry  spoke,  but 
I  could  understand  very  little  of  what  they  said.  After 
them,  the  two  English  visitors  spoke  also ;  but  I  was  so 
gathered  in  the  temple  of  my  heart  before  God,  that 
I  was  wholly  absorbed  with  what  was  passing  there. 
Thus  had  the  Lord  opened  my  heart  to  seek  Him  where 
He  is  to  be  found. 

"  My  brother  and  myself  were  invited  to  dine  in  the 
company  of  these  Friends,  at  Colonel  Corsa's.  There 
was  a  religious  opportunity  after  dinner,  in  which  several 
communications  were  made.  I  could  hardly  understand 
a  word  of  what  was  said,  but  as  Deborah  Darby  began 
to  address  my  brother  and  myself,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
Lord  opened  my  outward  ear,  and  my  heart.  Her 
words  partook  of  the  efficacy  of  that  '  word '  which  is 
'  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged 
sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul 
and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a 
discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.' 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


She  seemed  like  one  reading  the  pages  of  my  heart, 
with  clearness  describing  how  it  had  been,  and  how 
it  was  with  me.  I  was  like  Lydia ;  my  heart  was 
opened ;  I  felt  the  power  of  Him  who  hath  the  key 
of  David.  No  strength  to  withstand  the  Divine  visita- 
tion was  left  in  me.  Oh,  what  sweetness  did  I  then  feel ! 
It  was  indeed  a  memorable  day.  I  was  like  one  intro- 
duced into  a  new  world  ;  the  creation  and  all  things 
around  me  bore  a  different  aspect. — my  heart  glowed 
with  love  to  all.  The  awfulness  of  that  day  of  God's 
visitation  can  never  cease  to  be  remembered  with 
peculiar  interest  and  gratitude,  as  long  as  I  have  the  use 
of  my  mental  faculties.  I  have  been  as  one  plucked 
from  the  burning,  rescued  from  the  brink  of  a  horrible 
pit.  Oh,  how  can  the  extent  of  the  Lord's  love,  mercy, 
pity,  and  tender  compassion  be  fathomed  !  " 

Once,  when  speaking  with  a  lady  respecting  one  of 
the  most  eminent  and  distinguished  workers  in  this 
generation,  I  asked  the  history  of  her  conversion.  The 
reply  was  : — "  She  was  spoken  to  when  a  young  girl  by 
a  lady  who  was  walking  so  near  to  God  that  her  words 
were  not  permitted  to  fall  to  the  ground."  How  much 
this  was  the  case  with  the  Quakeress  who  spoke  to  young 
Grellet  at  the  officer's  table  will  be  obvious.  Quakerism 
was  at  that  time  exposed  to  much  of  misunderstand- 
ing, misrepresentation,  and  obloquy.  For  a  brief  time, 
therefore,  Stephen  Grellet  hesitated  to  unite  with  the 
Friends.  Others  dissuaded  him.  But  his  generous 
nature  inclined  him  to  those  who  had  taken  such  interest 
in  his  religious  welfare,  and,  his  intrepidity  of  character 
overcoming  his  scruples,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  join 
with  Friends  in  their  meetings  for  Divine  worship.  It 
was  well  it  was  so.  It  was  unquestionably  a  part  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Lord.  In  no  other  communion  could 
he  at  that  time  have  exercised  his  gifts  as  a  layman,  or 


THE  GRF.AT  CHANG  P.. 


23 


been  introduced  to  circles  of  usefulness  so  wide  and 
varied. 

Times  have  happily  changed  since  then.  Laymen  are 
now  among  the  most  powerful  pleaders  on  behalf  of  the 
gospel.  But  at  the  close  of  the  last  century,  the  Method- 
ists excepted,  it  was  among  Friends  chiefly  that  there 
was  that  large  freedom  for  Christian  testimony  which 
was  the  sign  of  the  apostolic  times,  and  is  so  grandly 
the  characteristic  of  the  present  age.  The  young  convert 
says  : — 

"  I  was  brought  to  endure  the  world's  reproaches,  or 
anything  it  might  be  suffered  to  inflict.  I  continued 
diligently  to  attend  meetings,  which  were  held  in  silence. 
Very  few  persons  assembled  there,  and  I  had  no  com- 
munication with  them  at  all  for  some  time.  I  have 
frequently  considered  since,  that  it  was  a  favour  that  my 
lot  was  cast  in  a  place  where  I  had  no  outward  depend- 
ence to  lean  upon.  In  religious  meetings,  as  well  as 
out  of  them,  my  single  concern  was  to  feel  after  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  my  own  heart.  As  my 
acquaintance  with  these  increased,  so  did  my  exercises. 
My  heart  was  fitly  compared  to  the  ground  covered  with 
thorns  and  briers,  and  even  sturdy  oaks  and  tall  cedars. 
Oh,  how  many  things  had  to  be  removed  out  of  the  way, 
to  give  room  for  the  heavenly  seed  to  grow !  The  axe 
of  God's  power  was  lifted  up  against  the  root  of  the 
corrupt  tree.  As  wave  follows  wave,  so  did  my  exer- 
cises. Yet  I  must  testify  of  the  Lord's  unspeakable 
love  extended  towards  me ;  it  was  great  indeed.  The 
sense  of  it  was  so  much  with  me,  that  I  do  not  know 
whether  tears  of  joy  and  gratitude  have  not  flowed  as 
plentifully  as  those  of  grief,  which  latter  have  not  been 
few." 

Pause  for  a  moment  to  note  the  above  words  :  "It 
was  a  favour  that  my  lot  was  cast  in  a  place  where 


24 


STEPHEN'  GRELLET. 


I  had  no  outward  dependence  to  lean  upon."  Is  there 
not  a  possibility  of  the  interior  life  being  impoverished 
by  a  too  ready  reliance  upon  external  aids,  and  de- 
pendence upon  human  support  and  counsel  ?  Peace, 
rest,  and  power  can  only  be  found  as  the  soul  of  a 
mortal  is  brought  into  a  real  communion  and  fellowship 
with  the  Saviour.  There  must  be,  as  in  Stephen 
Grellet's  case,  the  grateful  appropriation  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross  of  the  Redeemer's  atonement,  and  the  adoring 
personal  confidence,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed." 
The  guidance  of  an  experienced  teacher  is  most  valu- 
able, but  it  may  be  overrated.  The  Lord  Jesus  allowed 
Saul  of  Tarsus  to  be  three  days  alone  in  his  chamber  at 
Damascus  before  He  sent  to  him  Ananias.  The  history 
of  Paul  would  probably  not  have  been  the  same  had 
Ananias  been  with  him  through  those  three  days. 
Oh,  the  strength  there  is  in  the  purpose  :  "  My  soul, 
wait  thou  only  upon  God,  for  my  expectation  is  from 
Him  "  ! 

One  other  remark  is  necessary  after  the  record  of  the 
history  of  this  young  noble's  conversion.  It  might  seem 
as  if  he  sought  peace  in  his  "  inward  silent  frame  of 
mind."  But  this  would  be  a  misconception  of  his  mean- 
ing ;  and  it  is  most  important  to  realize  that  the  gracious 
language  of  God,  is,  "  Look  unto  Me  and  be  ye  saved,  all 
the  ends  of  the  earth."  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Let  us  hear  this 
young  man  concerning  another  meeting  he  attended. 

"  Very  soon  after  sitting  down,  great  was  the  awfulness 
and  reverence  that  came  upon  me.  It  was  succeeded  by 
such  a  view  and  sense  of  my  sinful  life,  that  I  was  like 
one  crushed  under  the  millstones.  My  misery  was  great; 
my  cry  was  not  unlike  that  of  Isaiah,  '  Woe  is  me,  for  I 
am  undone/'  But  how  can  I  set  forth  the  fulness  of 
heavenly  joy  that  filled  me  when  the  hope  was  again 


THE  GREAT  CHANGE. 


25 


raised  that  there  was  One,  even  He  whom  I  had  pierced, 
Jesus  Christ  the  Redeemer,  that  was  able  to  save 
me  ?  I  saw  Him  to  be  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  who  was  delivered  for  our 
offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification ;  who  is 
our  propitiatory  sacrifice,  our  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
our  Intercessor  with  God.  On  my  earnest  petition  being 
put  up  to  Him,  the  language  was  proclaimed,  '  Thy  sins 
are  forgiven,  thy  iniquities  are  pardoned.'  Floods  of 
tears  of  joy  and  gratitude  gave  vent  to  the  fulness  of  my 
heart ! " 

This  crisis  in  his  spiritual  being  was  marked  in 
young  Grellet's  experience  by  a  full-hearted  surrender 
of  himself  to  the  God  of  his  salvation.  The  language 
of  his  heart  was, — "  I  am  wholly  the  Lord's."  Very 
heavy  trials  had  broken  the  pride  of  nature.  The 
will,  which  is  the  very  centre  of  our  personality,  was  in 
his  case  consecrated.  Rarely  could  one  have  said  more 
truly  : 

"  Let  others  seek  earth's  honours  ;  be  it  mine 
One  law  to  cherish,  and  to  track  one  line, 
Straight  on  towards  heaven  to  press  with  single  bent, 
To  know  and  love  my  God,  and  then  to  die  content. " 

Speaking  now  of  his  "dear  brother,"  he  says  :  "Seeing 
how  my  face  was  turned,  he  began  to  unite  with  some  of 
the  people  about  me  in  reproaching  the  way  in  which 
the  Lord  led  me,  which  added  much  to  my  grief.  He 
could  not  bear  to  hear  me  tell  of  the  Lord's  work,  as  it 
was  upon  me.  In  my  absence,  however,  I  found  after 
a  while  that  he  read  William  Penn's  works.  This  en- 
couraged me  to  hope  that  a  seeking  disposition  was 
awakened,  though  he  tried  to  shake  it  off.  One  First 
Day  morning,  when  my  prayer  had  been  renewedly  put 
up  in  secret  for  him,  he  called  me  back,  after  I  had 


26 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


set  out  to  go  to  meeting,  saying  he  would  go  with  me. 
How  thankful  did  I  feel  !  Very  few  words  passed  be- 
tween us  by  the  way.  The  earnest  petition  of  my  heart 
was  unto  the  Lord,  that  the  power  of  His  love  and 
presence  might  be  so  displayed,  as  to  convince  my  dear 
brother,  and  bring  him  to  bow  to  His  righteous  sceptre. 
My  prayers  were  heard. 

"  My  gratitude  was  great  when  I  found  that  he  had 
partaken  of  the  heavenly  visitation.  From  that  time  he 
attended  meetings  diligently,  and  was  a  great  comfort 
to  me.  But,  during  all  that  period,  we  had  no  inter- 
course with  any  of  the  members  of  the  religious  Society 
of  Friends." 

What  abundant  encouragement  does  such  a  record 
furnish  of  the  fact  that  the  great  Father  moves  in  His 
pitying,  yearning  love  upon  the  hearts  of  His  children, 
and  that  no  pride  of  rank,  or  conventional  prejudice,  can 
turn  aside  the  power  of  believing  prayer.  There  is 
nothing  this  age  needs  more  to  learn  than  that  the  history 
of  Stephen  Grellet's  conversion  is  being  daily  repeated. 
The  acceptance  of  the  facts  of  this  experience,  and  of 
these  preternatural  visitations,  would  do  more  than  any- 
thing else  to  arrest  the  materialistic  scepticism  that  is 
the  dark  shadow  oveu  the  closing  years  of  this  century. 
"  Every  good  gift,"  said  St.  James,  "  and  every  perfect 
gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father 
of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow 
of  turning."  "  Greater  is  the  witness  to  God's  goodness 
in  the  regeneration  of  man  than  that  which  is  written  on 
the  dome  of  heaven."  "  Of  His  own  will  begat  He  us 
with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  first- 
fruits  "  of  the  redemption  and  deliverance  of  creation 
itself,  and  of  the  glorious  day  when  He  who  undertook 
the  salvation  of  the  world  shall  say — "  BEHOLD  I 
MAKE  ALL  THINGS  NEW."    Meanwhile,  there 


THE  GREAT  CHAXGE. 


27 


cannot  be  a  better  prayer  and  sacrifice  for  us,  morning 
by  morning,  than  to  say  in  the  Saviour's  blessed  name : — 

"  O  Israel's  God,  I  bring  Thee  now  my  will, 
That  would  be  Thine  whate'er  it  cost, 
I  love  Thy  gifts,  yet  love  Thee  most ; 
This  is  my  prayer  while  yet  the  morn  is  still. 
Take  Thou  my  will. 

The  soul  and  body  Thou  dost  hold  in  life, 

Be  ever  ready  in  Thy  fear 

To  fight  for  truth  and  justice  here. 
And  trusting  Thee,  to  meet  the  final  strife. 
For  Thou  art  life." 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  DIVINE  CALL. 

THERE  are  two  ways  of  going  up  to  the  cross.  One 
is  that,  alas  !  of  multitudes.  They  seem  to  pros- 
trate themselves  before  the  Saviour.  They  believe  that 
He  died  for  the  guilty.  They  are  glad  there  is  rest  for  the 
conscience  through  Him.  They  go  away  to  pursue  their 
schemes  of  business  or  pleasure  as  heretofore.  Religion 
to  them  is  like  a  ledger,  settled  and  shelved.  Happily 
there  are  others  who  receive  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  the 
forgiveness  of  sin,  and,  overwhelmed  with  gratitude  before 
the  transcendent  sacrifice,  say  with  the  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles,  "For  me  to  live  is  Christ."  "  I  live,  yet  not 
I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life  that  I  now  live  in 
this  bodily  frame  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  A  dreary 
and  ineffective  life  do  the  first  persons  live,  and  a  poor 
time  they  will  have  in  the  eternal  realm. 

It  is  however  needful  to  say  that  a  true  Christian  before 
the  cross  does  not  so  much  ask  for  self-sacrifice,  as  that 
through  the  power  of  that  cross  he  may  perfectly  accept  ifi 
all  things  the  will  of  God.  A  man  need  not  covet  the 
reproach  of  the  cross ;  but  he  must  ask  to  be  prepared 
for  it.  Self-inflicted  suffering  for  Christ,  is  not  so  holy  a 
disposition  as  the  complete  surrender  of  the  will  to  Him. 
Although  Saul  of  Tarsus  preached  Christ  as  we  gather, 
immediately  after  his  conversion,  he  did  not  thrust  him- 
self into  the  obloquies  and  labours  of  the  apostolic  band. 
There  is  no  more  instructive  passage  in  Paul's  history  than 

=8 


THE  DIVLYE  CALL. 


29 


when  we  see  him  retiring  to  his  native  city  Tarsus  that 
he  might  await  the  unfolding  of  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
There  Barnabas  sought  and  found  him ;  and  as  he 
heard  of  the  wonderful  movement  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
Syrian  Antioch,  he  was  at  once  in  readiness  to  obey 
the  call  of  the  Lord  as  the  visit  of  Barnabas  inter- 
preted it. 

Stephen  Grellet  remarks  after  his  conversion, — "  I 
thought  I  heard  a  sweet  language  saying,  '  Proclaim  unto 
others  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  thy  soul.'  Appre- 
hending that  this  was  a  requisition  of  present  duty,  I 
began  to  plead  excuses,  from  the  consciousness  of  my 
inability  to  perform  the  service.  '  Thou  knowest,  O  Lord, 
that  I  cannot  speak  English  so  as  to  be  understood,' 
was  my  answer,  '  and  what  am  I,  that  I  should  proclaim 
Thy  name  ? ' 

"  There  was  not  the  least  feeling  then  in  me  to  flinch 
from  doing,  or  becoming,  whatever  the  Lord  would  require 
of  me,  but  a  sense  of  my  inability  and  unworthiness. 
My  spirit  continued  prostrated  before  the  Lord,  and  en- 
circled with  His  love  and  presence." 

In  this  childlikeness  of  spirit,  waiting  to  do  or  become 
"  whatever  the  Lord  might  require  "  of  him,  he  continued 
simple  in  character,  and  unobtrusive  in  bearing.  "When 
self  dies  in  the  soul,  God  lives  ;  when  self  is  annihilated 
God  is  enthroned."  A  man  truly  devoted  to  God  will 
be  in  accord  with  all  the  duties  of  life,  and  we  find  this 
young  believer  naturally  occupied  with  the  condition  of 
those  dear  to  him.  His  father  was  shut  up  in  prison  ; 
his  mother  and  younger  brother  were  suffering  the  severest 
privations.  He  remarks,  however  :  "  By  letters  from 
our  dear  parents,  we  learnt  that  it  was  their  choice  that 
we  should,  for  the  time  being  at  least,  remain  in  this 
country,  seeing  that  the  troubles  in  France  continued 
great,  and  that  our  lives  would  be  exposed  by  returning 


30 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


to  it.  Our  parents  were  in  constant  jeopardy.  Their 
estates  were  under  sequestration,  and  it  became  neces- 
sary for  us  to  turn  our  attention  towards  engaging  in 
some  kind  of  business.  Our  means  began  to  be  low, 
and  yet  our  feelings  for  the  sufferings  in  which  our 
beloved  parents  might  be  involved  caused  us  to  forward 
them  a  few  hundred  dollars  we  had  yet  left. 

"  I  did  not  find  it  easy  to  obtain  suitable  employment, 
but  I  sought  right  direction  of  the  Lord.  We  first  came 
to  New  York,  where  I  stayed  about  two  weeks.  I  was 
much  refreshed  with  the  company  of  some  valuable 
Friends.  I  considered  it  a  privilege  to  sit  with  them 
in  their  religious  meetings.  The  exercise  of  bearing  a 
public  testimony  to  the  Lord's  truth,  and  of  declaring 
what  He  had  done  for  me,  came  upon  me  with  force. 
But  dwelling  in  stillness,  and  waiting  for  clearness,  I  was 
favoured  to  see  that  the  time  was  not  yet. 

"  It  was  concluded  that  I  should  go  to  Philadelphia, 
while  my  brother,  meeting  with  a  situation,  continued  in 
New  York.  Our  separation  was  painful,  having  par- 
taken together  of  many  trials,  and  feeling  much  united 
in  our  religious  services.  I  arrived  in  Philadelphia  in 
the  1 2th  month,  1795,  and  met  with  a  very  kind  recep- 
tion from  many  Friends. 

"  I  had  several  offers  to  engage  in  commercial  con- 
cerns, both  in  Philadelphia,  and  from  my  European 
friends,  from  whom  I  received  proposals,  by  letters,  to 
place  me  in  an  extensive  way  of  business  with  the  West 
Indies  and  Holland.  But  I  saw  that  if  I  did,  the  sense 
of  a  new  life  in  me,  that  was  very  tender,  might  easily 
be  destroyed.  I  therefore  preferred,  for  awhile,  the 
occupation  of  teaching  the  French  language.  I  engaged 
in  it,  it  is  true,  as  a  cross ;  but,  having  repeated  evi- 
dence that  it  was  a  right  engagement  for  me,  it  became 
easy  to  submit  to  it.    I  was  at  first  concerned  lest  it 


THE  DIVINE  CALL. 


31 


should  not  be  sufficient  to  procure  me  a  living.  After 
many  anxious  thoughts,  one  day,  as  my  mind  was 
gathered  in  reverent  silence  before  the  Lord,  the  lan- 
guage was  strongly  impressed :  '  Seek  first  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  His  righteousness,  and  all  things  needful 
shall  be  added.'  The  evidence  that  it  was  the  direction 
of  Omnipotence  was  so  clear,  that  for  months  after  that 
I  was  so  relieved  from  temporal  anxiety  that  I  had  no 
more  thought  about  it.  I  was  closely  engaged  in  my 
school,  yet  the  one  thing  needful  only  absorbed  me, 
whilst  walking  in  the  streets,  or  sitting  in  the  house. 
The  remembrance  of  those  days  can  but  deeply  humble 
me  with  gratitude,  seeing  how  the  Lord  kept  me  close 
to  Himself  A  sense  of  His  presence  was  so  continually 
upon  me,  that  not  only  my  words,  but  my  thoughts  also, 
were  narrowly  watched.  My  exercises  had  no  inter- 
ruption, but,  like  the  rolling  waves  of  the  ocean,  they 
flowed  one  upon  another.  If  I  took  a  book  to  read, 
a  single  line  would  detain  me  for  hours.  Sometimes  I 
have  been  a  whole  week  in  reading  and  pondering  a 
single  chapter  in  the  Bible. 

"My  mind  was,  at  seasons,  so  taken  up  with  a  sense 
of  the  Lord's  love,  that  it  seemed  as  if  I  could  have  con- 
tinued days  and  nights  swallowed  up  in  it.  But  though 
the  love  of  God  thus  filled  my  heart,  yet  most  of  the 
time  it  was  clothed  with  deep  exercises.  Every  step  of 
my  past  life  was  retraced  again  and  again.  I  suffered 
deeply  not  only  for  the  evil  I  had  done,  but  also  for  the 
good  I  had  omitted  to  do.  I  saw  the  emptiness  and 
arrogance  of  Cain's  reply  to  the  Almighty,  '  Am  I  my 
brother's  keeper  ?  '  We  ought  to  be  watchers  over  one 
another,  and  great  is  our  responsibility  as  moral  agents." 

The  beauty  and  impressiveness  of  this  record  will  be 
apparent,  but  let  us  adore  that  Divine  love  and  wisdom 
which  thus  purifies  the  vessel  that  it  may  be  meet  for 


32 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


God's  use,  and  prepared  for  receiving  the  heavenly- 
treasure.  Such  waiting  upon  the  Lord,  such  spiritual 
thoughtfulness,  and  such  humblings  of  self  because  of 
past  offences,  become  the  best  education  for  effective 
service  with  a  view  to  the  salvation  of  men.  This  period, 
when  the  young  noble  preferred  the  humiliation  of  teach- 
ing in  a  school  to  exposing  the  early  days  of  a  new  life 
of  religion  to  the  perils  of  foreign  mercantile  pursuits, 
became  an  excellent  preparation  for  his  subsequent 
apostolic  life.  Not  only  was  he  able  to  acquire  a  better 
knowledge  of  English,  but  the  retirement  was  singularly 
helpful.  "  In  God's  view  the  time  of  a  thing  is  as  essen- 
tial as  the  thing  itself."  Many  a  kernel  would  have  been 
riper  when  taken  out  of  the  shell  had  it  been  allowed  to 
grow  longer  in  silence  and  hiddenness. 

It  was  at  this  time,  however,  that  the  inward  call  of  the 
Spirit  began  to  be  heard  more  powerfully  in  his  soul.  It 
was  God's  will  that  he  should  go  among  the  nations,  as  a 
witness  for  the  inward  religion  of  the  heart  instead  of  the 
ceremonial  one  of  external  forms.  The  nineteenth  cen- 
tury now  about  to  dawn  required  such  a  witness.  As  we 
read  of  his  "  exercises  "  at  this  period  we  may  think  it 
was  the  voice  of  nature  impelling  him  ;  but  why  should 
it  be  thought  strange  if  we  regard  it  as  the  voice  of  God  ? 
Did  not  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  come  upon  the  Hebrew 
prophets  ?  May  not  an  imperious  conviction  that  he 
had  to  minister  for  the  Lord  have  become  as  a  holy  fire 
in  the  heart  of  Stephen  Grellet  ?  About  a  year  after  he 
had  been  teaching,  he  says  of  the  religious  assemblies  in 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  sit  in  silence  : 

"  Meeting  after  meeting  I  was  under  the  pressure  of 
exercise  to  stand  up  and  speak  a  few  words ;  but  the 
sense  of  the  awfulness  of  the  engagement  prevented  me. 
Oh,  the  depth  of  my  baptisms,  in  those  days  !  My  dis- 
obedience did  not,  however,  proceed  from  any  outward 


THE  DIVINE  CALL. 


33 


considerations,  or  even  the  crosses  involved  to  the 
natural  man.  I  was  brought  too  low  to  have  thoughts  of 
this  kind ;  and,  I  think  I  may  say,  my  love  for  my  dear 
Master  was  so  great,  that  no  sacrifice  or  suffering  would 
then  have  been  thought  too  much ;  but  I  could  not 
believe  that  such  a  poor  creature  as  I  was,  such  a  great 
sinner  as  I  had  been,  could  be  fit  to  engage  in  such  a 
solemn  work." 

He  records  also  :  "I  saw  my  unworthiness  to  engage 
in  such  a  sacred  service,  and  felt  myself  to  be  altogether 
a  child,  that  was  only  beginning  to  breathe  the  breath  of 
life.    .    .  . 

"  How  great  was  the  Divine  condescension  in  those 
days  !  As  a  father  answereth  his  child,  so  the  Lord  con- 
descended to  answer  all  my  pleadings  and  excuses ;  to 
give  me  also  a  sense  of  the  source  from  whence  all  power, 
strength,  and  ability  flow.  He  showed  me  how  He  is 
mouth,  wisdom,  and  utterance  to  His  true  and  faithful 
ministers ;  that  it  is  from  Him  alone  that  they  are  to 
receive  the  subject  they  are  to  communicate  to  the 
people,  and  also  the  when  and  the  ho^v.  It  is  He  who 
giveth  the  seeing  eye,  the  hearing  ear,  the  understanding 
heart,  and  enableth  the  dumb  to  speak. 

"It  was  on  the  20th  of  ist  month,  1796,  the  third 
day  of  the  week,  that  I  first  opened  my  mouth  in  the 
ministry.  For  some  days  after  this  act  of  dedication, 
my  peace  flowed  as  a  river,  whilst  mine  eyes  were  like 
fountains  of  tears  of  gratitude,  in  that  the  Lord  had  so 
mercifully  continued  to  bear  with  me." 

We  cannot  read  these  heart  experiences  of  the  inward 
call  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the  trembling  and  back- 
wardness on  the  other,  without  reminding  ourselves  of 
the  two  great  prophets  of  Israel.  The  word  of  the  Lord 
came  to  Jeremiah,  saying,  "Before  thou  wast  born  I 
ordained  thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations."    Then  said 

u 


34 


STEniEM  GRELLET. 


the  son  of  Hilkiah,  "  Ah,  Lord  God  !  behold  I  cannot 
speak,  for  I  am  a  child."  At  that  cry  Jehovah  put  forth 
His  hand,  the  prophet  tells  us,  and  touched  his  mouth 
and  said,  "Behold  I  have  put  My  words  in  thy  mouth." 
It  was  also  when  Isaiah  cried  out,  "  Woe  is  me  !  for  I 
am  undone  ;  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,"  that 
one  of  the  seraphim  flew  and  laid,  from  off  the  altar,  the 
live  coal  upon  the  prophet's  mouth,  and  said  "  Lo,  this 
hath  touched  thy  lips."  Words  given  from  God  to  lips 
touched  by  the  perpetual  fire  become  all-powerful.  The 
wondrous  word  respecting  the  one  great  "  Servant  of 
God  "  was,  "  He  shall  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  His 
mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  His  lips  shall  He  slay  the 
wicked."  How  well  Jeremiah  understood  the  necessity 
of  receiving  the  message  at  the  steps  of  the  throne  of  the 
Lord  is  evident  from  his  declaration  concerning  false 
prophets,  "  I  sent  them  not,  nor  commanded  them  ; 
therefore  they  shall  not  profit  this  people  at  all,  saith  the 
Lord."  "  No  man  taketh  this  honour  to  himself" — i.e. 
of  being  a  priest— but  he  that  is  called  of  God,"  is  the 
language  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Blessed  is  the 
Christian  teacher  who  has  first  this  internal  call  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  with  these  motions  of  the  Spirit  on  heart, 
will,  and  judgment !  How  much  Paul  laid  stress  on  the 
inward  and  outward  call  to  be  an  apostle !  Doubtless, 
great  confidence  and  ability  to  bear  the  heavy  trials  of 
the  ministry  come  from  this  assurance.  Weighty  are 
the  words  of  the  pious  Quesnel,  "  The  ministry  is  a 
matter  of  pure  grace  and  favour  ;  who  then  will  dare  to 
enter  it  without  a  Divine  call?  There  is  nothing  in 
which  a  king  would  willingly  be  more  absolute  than  the 
choice  of  his  ministers.  And  shall  we  dare  to  contest 
and  take  away  this  right  from  the  King  of  kings?"  Wise 
is  he  who,  aspiring  to  teach  in  the  streets,  or  mission 
room,  or  the  sanctuary  of  God,  shall  ponder  these  things. 


THE  DIVINE  CALL. 


35 


In  Stephen  Grcllet's  case  the  external  call  was  not 
wantuig.  Helped  in  the  highest  interests  and  in  so  re- 
markable a  manner  by  Friends,  it  was  a  most  natural 
result  that  this  young  convert  from  Roman  Catholicism 
should  make  application  for  membership  in  the  Society. 
Their  benevolent  and  honourable  spirit,  their  emphatic 
Protestantism,  and  their  hearty  assent  and  consent  to 
the  doctrine  that  all  truth  essential  to  human  salvation  is 
to  be  found  in  Holy  Scripture,  commended  themselves 
to  this  young  exile,  as  well  as  that  he  owed  much  to  the 
friendly  interest  of  the  Society. 

It  was  at  the  close  of  1796,  when  Grellet  was  in  his 
twenty-fourth  year,  that  the  Friends  received  him  into 
their  fellowship,  and  recognised  his  gifts  as  a  speaker  in 
the  name  of  their  and  his  Master.  Even  then,  however, 
he  wisely  says,  "  No  man,  nor  any  religious  body,  can 
save  any ;  salvation  cometh  from  God  alone." 

After  continuing  to  exercise  his  gift  as  a  teacher  of  the 
gospel,  in  March,  1798,  he  was  duly  recorded  as  a 
minister  of  Christ  by  the  monthly  meeting  of  Friends 
for  the  Northern  District  in  Philadelphia.  The  event  he 
says  "brought  me  under  renewed  concern  that  I  might 
be  so  preserved  in  watchfulness,  and  humble  walking 
before  the  Lord,  as  in  no  wise  to  wound  His  great  and 
blessed  cause,  which  I  believed  He  had  condescended 
to  call  such  a  poor  unworthy  instrument  to  espouse. 
In  those  days  my  mind  dwelt  much  on  the  nature 
of  the  hope  of  redemption  through  Jesus  Christ.  I 
felt  the  efficacy  of  that  grace  by  which  we  are  saved, 
through  faith  in  Christ  and  His  atoning  blood,  and  the 
excellency  of  the  blessed  gifts  which,  in  consequence  of 
this  the  meritorious  sacrifice  of  Himself  for  sinful  man, 
are  offered  to  the  believer  in  His  name." 

He  was  not,  however,  witliout  his  great  sorrows  during 
these  years.    "  The  accounts  which  I  received,  in  those 


36 


STErHEN  GRRI.T.ET. 


days,"  he  remarks,  "  of  the  distracted  state  of  my  native 
country  much  afflicted  me.  My  dear  parents  being  in 
prison,  I  expected  every  day  to  receive  the  mournful 
tidings  of  their  having  met  with  a  cruel  death,  among  the 
many  victims  who  fell  a  sacrifice  to  the  ferocious  spirit 
that  had  overspread  the  nation.  Some  of  those  who 
heretofore  had  professed  to  be  the  most  intimate  friends 
of  my  dear  father,  and  others  to  whom  he  had  rendered 
many  services,  were  now  his  greatest  enemies  and  per- 
secutors." 

To  God  he  talked  and  prayed  without  ceasing,  and  he 
adds, — ■"  It  may  be  proper  to  state,  that  my  parents  were 
preserved  from  an  untimely  death,  and  delivered  from 
the  hands  of  unmerciful  men,  though  my  father  was 
several  times  on  the  very  eve  of  being  taken  to  the  guil- 
lotine, and  my  mother  also.  It  was  finally  concluded 
that  they,  and  others,  should  be  put  to  death  the  day 
following  the  death  of  Robespierre,  when,  that  very 
morning,  instead  of  being  led  to  execution,  the  prison 
doors  were  opened  for  their  liberation.  I  may  further 
gratefully  say,  that  none  of  my  near  relatives  suffered  a 
violent  death  during  those  days  of  terror.  A  first  cousin 
of  mine  was  ordered  to  be  put  to  death,  but  on  the  morn- 
ing appointed  for  his  execution  he  was  rescued." 

Social  and  national  controversies  also  occupied  and 
distressed  him.  It  required  singular  courage  in  the 
United  States,  at  the  end  of  the  last  century,  to  maintain 
the  rights  of  the  Africans,  whose  slavery  had  been  the 
sad  inheritance  which  Great  Britain  had  bequeathed  to 
her  colonies.  The  foremost  in  the  noble  band  of  Abo- 
litionists, who  would  at  length  arouse  the  torpid  con- 
science of  the  States  on  this  question,  were  the  Friends; 
and  this  young  man,  identified  with  them  in  this  sen- 
timent, observes — 

"  Another  subject,  which  obtained  much  of  the  atten- 


THE  niVl.VE  CALL. 


37 


tiou  of  Friends,  was  the  state  of  the  oppressed  Africans. 
The  Yearly  Meeting  came  to  tlie  conclusion  that  any 
people  of  colour,  becoming  convinced  of  our  principles, 
and  making  application  to  be  received  as  members  of 
our  Society,  ought  to  be  treated  as  white  persons, 
without  any  distinction  on  account  of  colour,  seeing  that 
there  is  none  with  God,  who  has  made  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  of  one  blood,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  has  died 
for  all,  and  is  the  Saviour  of  all  who  believe  in  Him,  of 
whatever  nation  or  colour  they  may  be." 

No  estimate  at  this  day  can  be  formed  of  the  value 
and  weight  of  such  a  testimony,  and  of  the  social  suffer- 
ings incident  to  such  action.  In  exalting  those  who  are 
permitted  to  accomplish  a  grand  deliverance,  we  must 
not  forget  the  first  confessors  against  the  injustice,  and 
the  first  workers  for  the  final  victory.  At  the  beginning 
of  this  century  the  prejudice  in  America  against  the 
coloured  people  was  very  marked.  The  Africans — and 
even  such  as  were  of  fairer  colour  than  their  masters — 
were  not  allowed  to  journey,  or  sit  in  churches,  by  the 
side  of  the  whites.  The  antipathy  prevailed  even  in  the 
non-slaveholding  States.  That  so  far  back  therefore  as 
1798  the  Society  of  Friends  should  have  adopted  the 
humane  principle  of  which  Mr.  Grellet  makes  mention, 
must  be  held  to  have  placed  them  far  in  advance  of  other 
religious  organizations. 

"  Oh,  bless'd  is  he  to  whom  is  given 
The  instinct  that  can  tell, 
That  God  is  on  the  field,  when  He 
Is  most  invisible. 

And  bless'd  is  he  who  can  divine 

Where  real  right  doth  lie, 
And  dares  to  take  the  side  that  seems 

Wrong  to  man's  blinded  eye." 


CHAPTER  V. 

DIVINE  INTERrOSITIOh'S. 

"  ^  I  ^HE  scientific  spirit  cannot  admit  the  super- 
X  natural,"  is  an  assumed  axiom  which  by  its  very- 
boldness  has  been  sorely  misleading  young  and  earnest 
inquirers.  But  is  not  "  the  scientific  spirit  "  the  expres- 
sion of  the  science  of  induction,  and  of  the  modern  and 
accepted  philosophy  ?  It  may  be  true  that  science  must 
study  the  law  of  causes  and  effects  in  nature  without 
introducing  the  supernatural.  But  if  in  the  moral  sphere 
incontestable  facts  come  before  us  which  point  to  the 
supernatural,  it  cannot  be  a  true  scientific  spirit  to  ignore 
them.  To  frame  a  theory  that  there  is  nothing  super- 
natural, and  then  to  shut  the  eyes  to  phenomena  which 
do  not  fit  in  with  it,  is  to  be  led  by  the  old  methods  of 
philosophy,  and  is  provoking  a  very  healthy  reaction 
among  some  of  the  highest  scientific  minds  of  our  period. 
The  coolness  with  which  the  doctrine  of  evolution  is 
accepted  while  it  proceeds  under  self-acting  laws,  and 
the  hostility  to  the  doctrine  when  accompanied  by  the 
idea  of  will,  not  only  does  not  harmonize  with  true 
science,  but  not  even  with  common  intelligence  and 
candour.  We  Christians  maintain  that  men  are  sorely 
pressed  by  temptation  and  sorrow ; 

"  The  fool  hath  said  there  is  no  God, 
But  none  there  is  no  sorrow." 

We  contend  that  human  history  gives  proof  of  facts 
which  go  to  show  that  a  Divine  power  has  been  seek- 

38 


DIVINE  INTERPOSITIONS. 


39 


ing  through  all  the  ages  to  arrest  temptation  and  heal 
sorrow.  We  contend  further  that  utter  incredulity  as  to 
these  facts  is  wholly  inexcusable,  and  that  to  deny  them 
is  not  to  get  rid  of  them.  In  the  history  of  Stephen 
Grellet,  as  in  that  of  other  saintly  persons,  there  are  inci- 
dents and  experiences  that  point  to  Divine  interpositions. 
Credulity  and  superstition  may  magnify  this  superhuman 
control.  Sweeping  assertions,  however,  that  it  does  not 
exist  may  be  more  hurtful  to  a  generation  than  the  easy 
credulity.  To  many  persons,  for  "  the  Father  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh  "  to  touch  the  heart  and  to  mould  the 
events  of  life  of  His  servants  with  a  view  to  the  good  of 
His  suffering  creatures  appears  a  most  Divine  act ;  and 
probably  in  the  history  of  a  St.  Paul,  a  St.  Anthony,  a 
Catherine  of  Sienna,  a  Savonarola,  and  a  Wesley — that  is, 
of  persons  who  more  than  others  were  lifted  out  of  the 
self-life  into  a  region  transcending  ordinary  experiences — 
if  we  knew  the  nature  of  the  fellowship  they  maintained 
with  God,  the  opening  of  their  ear  and  the  quickening 
of  their  understanding  to  comprehend  the  Divine  sym- 
pathies, we  should  have  an  explanation  of  facts  which 
are  questioned  or  denied  by  those  who  are  actuated  by 
a  lower  spiritual  life. 

Stephen  Grellet  remained  in  Philadelphia  three  years. 
Being  a  minister  of  Christ  among  the  Friends  did  not 
imply  a  professional  position.  He  was  still,  if  the  con- 
ventional term  may  be  allowed,  a  simple  layman,  but  one 
whose  gifts  and  calling  as  a  preacher  were  fully  recog- 
nised by  the  Society.  An  awful  sweep  of  most  malignant 
fever  passed  over  Philadelphia  in  1798.  Grellet  was  in 
Jersey,  but  hearing  of  the  yellow  fever,  returned  to  the 
city,  spite  of  the  dissuasions  of  his  friends.  He  says : 
"  My  mind  was  perfectly  calm  about  the  danger  of  which 
I  was  warned.  When  I  came  into  the  city  the  sight  was 
solemn.    That  great  city,  but  a  few  days  before  full 


40 


STEPHEX  GRELLET. 


of  inhabitants,  was  now  nearly  deserted ;  its  heretofore 
crowded  streets  were  trodden  by  a  few  solitary  indi- 
viduals, whose  countenances  bespoke  seriousness  or 
sadness.  On  reaching  the  friend's  house  where  I  made 
my  home,  I  found  it  shut  up,  like  most  of  the  neigh- 
bours' ;  but,  obtaining  the  key,  I  opened  it,  and  resumed 
my  former  abode,  though  alone  in  it. 

"  I  went  about  for  some  time,  visiting  the  sick  and 
dying,  and  assisting  in  burying  the  dead.  My  feelings 
were  much  awakened,  both  on  account  of  strangers  and 
Friends.  How  sweet  and  peaceful  was  the  close  of 
some,  so  that  I  could  have  joyfully  exchanged  my  situa- 
tion for  theirs  ;  but  how  great  the  contrast  with  others  ! 
Some  joyfully  and  smilingly  departed,  in  the  fulness  of 
the  hope  which  the  gospel  inspires ;  whereas  others 
experienced  the  agony  and  horrors  of  death,  throwing 
their  arms  around  me,  to  keep  hold  of  a  living  object, 
crying  out  in  bitterness,  '  I  cannot  die  !  I  am  not  fit  to 
die  !'  The  horror  of  this  scene  is  yet  present  with  me. 
O  that  those  who  live  in  pleasure  might  pause  awhile, 
and  contemplate  the  awful  subject !  Do  not  leave  it  to 
a  sick-bed,  or  a  dying  hour,  to  make  your  peace  with 
God.  Rather,  I  beseech  you,  improve  diligently  your 
opportunity  in  time  of  health,  and,  whilst  the  Lord's 
visitation  is  extended  to  you,  make  your  calling  and 
election  sure,  through  Jesus  Christ ! 

"  In  those  days  former  friends  were  deserted ;  yea, 
even  the  wife  was  left  by  her  husband,  and  the  husband 
became  a  stranger  to  his  wife,  seeking  their  safety  in 
flight,  leaving  their  sick  to  the  care  of  a  strange  nurse. 
The  dead  bodies  were  conveyed  to  the  grave,  in  most 
instances,  with  no  other  convoy  than  the  hearse  and 
driver.  This  was  the  case  even  with  those  who,  weeks 
before,  might  have  been  attended  by  hundreds.  Most 
of  the  places  of  worship  were  shut  up." 


DIVINE  INTERPOSITIONS. 


41 


It  was  from  this  time  that  the  pitifulness  and  philan- 
thropy which  became  the  passion  of  his  life  took  full  posses- 
sion of  his  nature.  For  him  to  see  suffering  was  always 
to  attempt  to  heal  it.  Convenience  or  self-precautions 
were  never  allowed  to  hinder.  Now,  however,  this  young 
man  of  twenty-four  years  is  not  to  escape  the  malignancy 
of  the  disease.  One  day  he  had  been  attending  to  the 
condition  of  some  Lascars  who  had  been  turned  out  of 
an  English  vessel  destitute  and  friendless.  The  extra- 
ordinary exertions  he  had  to  make  brought  on  an  attack. 
Severe  pains  and  symptoms  of  the  fever  came  on  him. 
He  observes  :  "  My  soul  was  swallowed  up  in  the  love  of 
God,  and  perfectly  contented  in  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
After  remaining  about  an  hour  in  that  state,  feeling  my 
strength  fast  declining,  and  being  alone  in  the  house,  I 
went  downstairs  to  unlock  the  front  door.  Had  I  de- 
ferred this  a  little  longer,  it  is  probable  that  I  should 
not  have  had  sufficient  strength  to  do  it,  for  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  I  went  upstairs  again.  A  friend,  not  seeing 
me  the  next  day  at  the  usual  time,  came  to  the  house. 
He  soon  brought  me  a  physician  and  a  nurse.  The 
former  paid  me  but  a  few  visits ;  for  he  took  the  fever, 
and  died  five  days  after.  The  disorder  so  increased 
upon  me  that,  my  extremities  having  become  cold,  my 
coffin  was  ordered,  and  I  was  even  returned  among  the 
daily  deaths  to  the  board  of  health,  as  a  '  French 
Quaker.' 

"  Whilst  death  seemed  to  be  approaching,  and  I  had 
turned  myself  on  one  side,  the  more  easily  to  breathe  my 
last,  my  spirit  feeling  already  as  encircled  by  the  angelic 
host  in  the  Heavenly  Presence,  a  secret  but  powerful 
language  was  proclaimed  on  this  wise  :  '  Thou  shalt  not 
die,  but  live— thy  work  is  not  yet  done.'  Then  the 
corners  of  the  earth,  over  seas  and  lands,  were  opened  to 
me,  where  I  should  have  to  labour  in  the  service  of  the 


42 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


gospel  of  Christ.  O  what  amazement  I  was  filled  with  ! 
What  a  solemn  and  awful  prospect  was  set  before  me  ! 
Sorrow  took  hold  of  me  at  the  words ;  for  it  seemed  as 
if  I  had  had  already  a  foothold  in  the  heavenly  places. 
1  wept  sore ;  but,  as  it  was  the  Divine  will,  I  bowed  in 
reverence  before  Him,  interceding  that,  after  I  had  been 
enabled  to  do  the  work  He  had  for  me  to  do,  I  might 
be  permitted  to  be  placed  in  the  same  state  in  which  I 
then  was,  pass  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death 
strengthened  by  His  Divine  presence,  and  enter  finally 
into  those  glorious  mansions  at  the  threshold  of  which 
my  spirit  had  then  come.  I  saw  and  felt  that  which  can- 
not be  written.  From  that  time  the  disorder  subsided. 
My  strength  by  degrees  returned,  and,  in  a  very  few  days, 
I  was  able  to  be  removed  to  kind  friends.  A  brother  was 
then  ill  in  the  house,  and  died  a  few  days  after ;  I  was 
able  to  minister  to  him  to  the  last.  Soon  after  this,  five 
of  the  same  family  were  attacked,  and,  for  a  while,  some  of 
them  were  so  ill  that  going  from  one  to  the  other  I  hardly 
knew  which  of  them  would  die  first.  My  health  was  yet 
very  feeble,  yet  I  think  I  was  about  a  week  without 
undressing  to  go  to  bed.  Part  of  this  time  there  were 
only  two  of  us  to  care  for  them  ;  no  nurses  could  be 
obtained.  The  precious  seasons,  however,  which  I  had 
by  the  sick-beds  of  my  friends,  sitting  under  the  canopy 
of  the  Lord's  presence,  often  changed  these  scenes  of 
mourning  into  joy.  They  all  recovered,  and,  the  sick- 
ness in  the  city  continuing,  I  resumed  my  visits  to  the 
sick  and  the  poor. 

"  One  circumstance  I  may  not  omit  to  notice,  as  a 
confirmation  of  what  the  Lord  had  showed  me  respect- 
ing the  exercises  I  must  prepare  for  during  the  residue  of 
my  pilgrimage.  In  a  religious  meeting  I  was  able  to 
attend  soon  after  my  recovery,  Arthur  Howell,  in  the 
course  of  his  testimony,  mentioned  me  by  name,  and  said 


DIVINE  INTERPOSITIONS. 


43 


that  the  Lord  had  raised  me  up,  having  a  service  for  me 
to  the  isles  and  nations  afar  off,  to  the  east  and  west,  the 
north  and  south.  I  had  been  careful  to  keep  to  myself 
the  view  I  had  had  of  these  things  on  what  seemed  to 
me  a  death-bed.  I  knew  therefore  that  this  was  a  con- 
firmation of  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

"After  this,  further  sources  of  mourning  and  deep 
prostration  of  soul  before  the  Lord  were  opened.  For, 
besides  the  continued  distress  in  the  city,  among  my 
friends  and  the  people  at  large,  we  received  information 
of  the  death  of  many  of  our  friends  from  the  country, 
among  whom  were  about  twenty  ministers  and  elders. 
I  was  very  nearly  united  to  several  of  them  in  Christian 
fellowship ;  some  had  been  as  nursing  fathers  and 
mothers  to  me.  Oh,  these  were  days  for  our  walking 
softly  before  the  Lord,  when  with  trembling  we  waited 
for  further  tidings,  having  heard  that  several  others  in  the 
country  were  ill.  Among  these  was  Warner  Mifflin,  that 
great  friend  and  advocate  of  the  cause  of  the  poor  slaves  ; 
and,  shortly  after,  we  heard  of  his  decease  and  that  of 
several  others.  My  own  life  having  been  spared,  even 
as  one  raised  from  the  dead,  quickened  in  me  earnest 
desires  that  I  might  so  walk  before  the  Lord  as  that  my 
life  and  my  all  might  be  devoted  to  His  service.'' 

In  1799  he  removed  to  New  York,  and  engaged  with 
his  brother  in  mercantile  objects.  He  continues  in  his 
Journal :  "  Some  time  after  this,  I  heard  that  my  dear 
friend  John  Hall  was  coming  from  England  on  a  reli- 
gious visit  to  the  United  States,  and  the  impression  was 
made  strongly  upon  my  mind  that  I  must  stand  pre- 
pared to  join  and  accompany  him  in  the  service  of  the 
gospel.  I  cried  earnestly  unto  the  Lord  that,  if  it  was 
indeed  His  will  that  I  should  engage  in  such  an  extensive 
work,  He  would  condescend  to  give  me  some  strong 
evidence  of  it,  and  that,  as  a  proof  of  it.  He  would  give 


44 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


to  this  dear  friend  to  see  it  himself  with  clearness.  He 
arrived  at  New  York  early  in  the  Tenth  Month.  I  visited 
him  soon  afterwards,  when  he  took  me  aside  and  told 
me,  in  a  solemn  manner,  that  I  was  the  identical  person 
that  he  had  seen,  whilst  at  sea,  prepared  of  the  Lord  to 
be  his  companion  in  the  service  of  the  gospel  here. 
He  further  feelingly  said,  '  I  leave  the  matter  entirely  to 
the  Lord  and  to  thee.'  I  felt  very  cautious  not  to  tell 
him  how  it  had  been  with  me,  though  I  marvelled  at 
the  Lord's  condescension  in  giving  me  such  an  evidence 
of  His  will.  After  weighing  carefully  the  subject,  and 
seeking  for  the  Lord's  direction,  I  concluded  that,  to 
have  a  better  opportunity  '  to  try  the  fleece,'  I  would 
accompany  him  as  far  as  Philadelphia,  when,  finding  it 
was  a  service  required  of  me,  I  came  back  to  New  York. 
The  Monthly  Meeting  gave  me  a  certificate  of  unity  and 
sympathy  under  this  prospect  of  religious  service. 

"  Leaving  my  small  temporal  concerns  under  the  care 
of  my  dear  brother  and  partner,  and  resigning  myself  to 
my  dear  Master's  blessed  protection,  and  to  the  guidance 
of  His  Spirit,  I  went  back  to  Philadelphia,  to  join  my 
beloved  friend  John  Hall." 

With  aff'ectionate  tenderness  and  sympathy  was  he 
received  by  the  Friends  in  that  Quaker  city.  With  his 
colleague  he  proceeded  through  many  towns  on  their 
way  to  Baltimore,  holding  meetings  wherever  possible, 
and  visiting  families.  Thence  they  proceeded  through 
Maryland  to  Alexandria,  to  Richmond  in  Virginia,  and 
through  North  Carolina.    He  writes  : 

"  There  the  Lord  was  pleased,  in  an  humbling,  me- 
morable manner,  to  visit  me  again,  and  to  comfort  me. 
I  had  gone  into  the  woods,  which  are  there  mostly  of 
very  lofty  and  large  pines,  and,  my  mind  being  inwardly 
retired  before  the  Lord,  He  was  pleased  so  to  reveal 
His  love  to  me,  through  His  blessed  Son,  my  Saviour, 


DIVIXE  IXrKRPOSlTIOXS. 


45 


that  my  many  fears  and  doubts  were  at  that  time 
removed,  my  soul's  wounds  were  healed,  my  mourning 
was  turned  into  joy.  He  clothed  me  with  the  gar- 
ment of  praise,  instead  of  the  spirit  of  heaviness,  and 
He  strengthened  me  to  offer  up  myself  again  freely  to 
Him  and  to  His  service  for  my  whole  life.  Walk,  O 
my  soul,  in  that  path  which  thy  blessed  Master  has 
trodden  before  thee,  and  has  consecrated  for  thee. 
Be  also  willing  to  die  to  thyself,  that  thou  mayest  live 
through  faith  in  Him." 

On  returning  he  narrates  : 

"  On  our  way  to  Contentnea,  we  had,  amid  imminent 
dangers,  a  remarkable  preservation.  At  about  eight 
o'clock  on  a  very  dark  night,  we  came  near  to  a  creek. 
Our  guide,  though  well  acquainted  with  the  place  and 
the  ford,  for  greater  safety,  rode  to  a  cabin,  not  far 
distant,  to  inquire  if  the  creek  was  fordable.  He  was 
told  that  there  had  been  no  rain  for  many  days  that 
could  raise  the  creek  (there  had  been  heavy  rains  up 
the  country,  with  which,  it  appears,  the  person  inquired 
of  was  not  acquainted).  Putting  a  white  handkerchief 
round  his  hat,  that  we  might  the  better  distinguish 
him,  our  guide  rode  before  us,  desiring  us  to  keep  close 
behind  him,  as  the  descent  into  the  creek  was  steep 
and  difficult.  As  soon  as  we  were  in,  we  found  the 
water  so  deep  that  our  horses  began  to  swim,  and  the 
current  was  so  strong  as  to  turn  the  body  of  our 
carriage  down  the  stream.  The  carriage  was  soon 
filled  with  water.  Our  horses,  swimming,  kept  up  close 
behind  our  guide.  To  our  surprise,  when  we  came 
near  the  other  side,  we  found  we  had  no  hind  wheels. 
We  were  obliged  to  leave  the  carriage  and  the  fore 
wheels  in  the  water,  at  a  short  distance  from  the  shore. 
Fastening  our  wet  baggage  with  ropes  on  the  horses, 
we  proceeded  about  a  mile  to  our  friend  Jeremiah 


46 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Home's,  who  ministered  to  us  in  our  wet  and  cold 
condition.  The  next  morning  early,  on  going  to  the 
creek  to  see  after  our  carriage,  we  found  that  the  waters 
had  fallen  about  sixteen  inches  during  the  night,  and 
we  discovered  the  upper  part  of  our  hind  wheels  about 
six  inches  above  the  water,  very  near  the  place  where 
we  had  first  entered  the  creek,  so  that  we  must  have 
floated  soon  after  we  got  in.  Had  we  been  left  to  the 
current  of  the  river,  we  could  not  have  escaped  being 
drowned,  for  the  banks  on  both  sides  of  the  creek 
are  for  some  distance  steep  and  bushy.  Through  the 
help  of  a  canoe,  we  recovered  the  wheels." 

Again  in  New  York,  he  applied  himself  diligently  to 
his  mercantile  pursuits.  He  was  simple  in  his  habits, 
and,  walking  in  this  simplicity,  Avas  kept  from  corroding 
anxiety.  In  i8or,  however,  he  again  entered  as  a  com- 
panion of  John  Hall  on  a  second  journey  of  minister- 
ing, and  travelled  about  four  thousand  miles.  The 
years  1802-3  he  spent  in  New  York.  At  the  beginning 
of  1804  he  was  married  to  Rebecca  Collins,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Rachel  Collins,  of  that  city.  The  marriage 
proved  singularly  happy.  His  young  wife  was  in  full 
sympathy  with  all  his  religious  views  and  purposes. 

In  this  year  1S04  he  visited  Canada,  and  preached  in 
his  native  language.  The  Roman  Catholic  priests  moved 
the  people  against  him.  This,  however,  excited  the  curio- 
sity of  the  Canadians.  He  directed  them  to  Christ,  and 
records  respecting  one  of  his  meetings  in  a  private  house, — 

"  The  Lord  opened  the  hearts  of  many  of  them  so 
as  to  bring  them  into  tenderness  ;  several  of  them  gave 
vent  to  their  inward  convictions  by  expression,  and 
now  and  then  cried  out  in  French,  '  C'est  la  verite.' 
They  were  very  loving  after  meeting,  and  pressed  me 
to  come  again  and  have  meetings  among  them.  They 
now  feared  not  what  their  priests  might  say  or  do." 


DIVINE  INTERPOSITIONS. 


47 


Crossing  the  St.  Lawrence,  he  went  to  Montreal, 
and  visited  one  of  the  convents,  and  spoke  freely  to  the 
nuns  and  their  superior.  In  the  city  and  the  region 
round  about  he  preached  the  gospel  to  the  people 
and  priests,  some  of  whom  acknowledged  publicly 
the  truth  of  the  word  he  spoke  to  them.  Thence  he 
went  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  on  the  paths  of  the 
Indians,  availing  himself  of  every  opening  for  advanc- 
ing the  work  he  had  at  heart.  Thus  he  again  travelled 
through  the  States,  and  arrived  after  an  absence  of  three 
months  at  New  York. 

In  the  following  year  he  made  another  visit  to  Penn- 
sylvania.   Of  this  journey  he  says  : 

"  The  Lord  has  been  pleased,  at  nearly  every 
meeting,  to  open  my  way  to  unfold  my  soul's  exercise 
to  the  people.  At  some  of  these  meetings  I  have 
been  enlarged  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  in  a  manner 
very  humbling  and  memorable  to  myself,  and  to  the 
contriting  of  the  hearts  of  many  present.  The  Lord 
has  also  been  near  in  private  religious  opportunities. 
Keeping  a  single  eye  to  the  putting  forth  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  the  way  frequently  opens  for  private  service ; 
in  this  the  application,  '  Thou  art  the  man,'  often 
comes  home  much  more  forcibly,  than  in  a  public 
meeting,  whether  the  message  be  one  of  reproof,  instruc- 
tion, or  comfort  and  consolation." 

Soon  after  this  the  sad  tidings  fell  on  his  ear  that 
the  yellow  fever  had  broken  out  in  New  York.  He 
thought  of  his  wife,  and  says  : 

"  This  was  a  remarkable  time  for  me,  for  after  sitting 
awhile  in  the  meeting,  it  seemed  as  if  I  was  following 
some  of  my  near  relatives  to  their  grave,  and  I  saw 
with  clearness  that  it  was  right  for  me  to  return  home- 
wards with  all  speed.  It  was  a  trial  to  me,  as  I  had 
had  some  prospect  of  having  a  few  more  meetings  in 


48 


STEPIJEX  GRELLET. 


these  parts  ;  but  I  felt  that  the  same  power  that  had 
put  me  forth  in  His  service  now  called  me  back  from 
it ;  therefore  my  soul  bowed  before  the  Lord  in  adora- 
tion. 

"  I  proceeded  that  afternoon  and  the  following  days, 
with  all  speed,  towards  New  York.  On  the  15th  of 
Ninth  Month  I  reached  Rahway,  by  noon,  and  there 
heard  that  my  wife's  mother  was  very  ill  with  the 
epidemic.  Thus  confirmed  in  the  correctness  of  the 
impressions  made  upon  me,  I  pursued  my  journey, 
and  after  crossing  the  North  River  that  afternoon,  I 
met  with  a  person  who  gave  me  the  heavy  tidings  that 
my  mother-in-law  was  deceased,  and  that  the  family 
were  in  Westchester  (twelve  miles  farther),  where  they 
had  retired  when  the  fever  made  its  appearance  in  the 
city,  and  that  my  dear  wife  was  sick.  About  nine  at 
night  I  reached  the  house.  I  found  the  family  in  great 
affliction,  but  supported  under  the  stroke  ;  and  now  our 
solicitude  was  excited  on  account  of  my  dear  wife,  for 
she  had  a  heavy  load  of  disease  upon  her.  It  is  remark- 
able that  on  the  evening  of  this  my  speedy  return  to 
her,  her  mind  was  so  sensible  of  my  being  near  that 
she  told  her  sister,  who  was  at  her  bedside,  that  she 
saw  me  as  if  I  was  in  the  chamber.  Her  sister 
thought  her  flighty,  through  the  fever ;  but  she  replied, 
'It  is  a  reality,  I  see  him  near,'  though  at  that  time 
she  had  every  reason  to  conclude  I  was  about  two 
hundred  miles  distant." 

Before  proceeding  to  the  wider  labours  of  Mr.  Grellet, 
let  a  sentence  quoted  on  the  last  page  from  his  journal 
be  noted  : — Keeping  a  single  eye  to  the  putting  forth  of 
the  Divine  Spirit."  The  phrase  is  very  suggestive,  and 
reveals  the  secret  of  his  power.  If  we  are  more  careful 
as  to  what  is  thought  of  the  messenger  than  of  the 
message  we  bear,  and  are  mainly  concerned  to  win  a 


* 


DJVINF.  INTERPOSITIONS.  49 

human  approval,  we  are  altogether  out  of  the  line  of  the 
Spirit's  operation.  O  holy  Father,  teach  us  what  Thy  Son 
meant  by  the  eye  being  single  and  the  whole  body  full  of 
light.  Let  all  self-desirts  be  absorbed  in  a  supreme  and  all- 
mastering  loyalty  to  be  sanctified  channels  for  the  free 
actings  of  Thy  Holy  Spirit.  Possess  us,  and,  holding  our 
hand,  lead  us  on  from  sennce  to  service  in  the  extending  0/ 
Thy  Kingdom  I 


E 


CHAPTER  VI. 


VISIT  TO  HIS  PA  TERNAL  HOME. 
EVENTEEN  years  had  elapsed  since  the  young 


De  Grellets  had  fled  as  fugitives  from  France. 
During  this  time  the  wild  reign  of  anarchy  and  spolia- 
tion had  passed  into  the  iron  rule  of  the  militarism 
of  the  first  Napoleon.  There  was  some  prospect,  how- 
ever, that  the  young  French  noble  might  visit  in  safety 
his  fatherland.  The  seventeen  years  had  wrought  a 
great  change  in  his  character.  He  now  was  very 
dignified  and  graceful  in  presence ;  remarkably  urbane, 
tender,  and  courteous  in  manner ;  his  nature  was, 
moreover,  one  of  fine  sensibility,  but  this  was  in  com- 
bination with  great  intrepidity  and  cool  judgment. 
Having  emerged  from  Romanism  and  scepticism,  his 
convictions  were  clear  and  strong.  Heavy  afflictions 
had  fallen  upon  him,  and  sorrow  is  the  kind  monitress 
of  nobleness  and  meekness.  He  had  lost  rank,  social 
position,  and  property ;  had  known  for  many  years  the 
sadness  of  an  exile,  and  had  mourned  his  separa- 
tion from  his  revered  parents.  His  views  of  the 
gospel  were  moreover  decided.  He  speaks  in  one  place 
of  the  ultra-Calvinism  he  met  with  and  the  perplexi- 
ties of  persons  on  the  doctrines  of  election  and  a 
limited  atonement.  Taught,  however,  by  the  study  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  not  by  the  partial  theological 
opinions  of  the  times,  he  found  no  such  difficulties. 
Christ  was  to  him  the  "  Lamb  of  God  "  for  the  world, 
and  the  invitations  of  Divine  love  were  in  his  creed 


VISIT  TO  HIS.  PA  TERNAL  HOME.  5 1 

addressed  freely  and  urgently  to  all  men.  He  saw  men 
bound  in  sin,  estranged  from  the  life  of  God,  tempted 
on  every  hand,  and  exposed  to  a  terrible  calamity  of 
woe.  God  was  to  him  the  tender  and  loving  Father, 
striving  with  men  to  win  them  to  Himself,  and  in 
patient,  quenchless  love  yearning  for  their  salvation. 
But  his  fitness  and  ability  as  a  preacher  of  the  Word 
came  from  his  habits  of  communion  with  the  Lord. 
In  religious  meetings  he  waited  silently  upon  the  Spirit 
of  God  for  direction  and  command ;  in  his  chamber, 
in  pine  forests,  and  in  the  solitudes  of  the  prairie,  he 
poured  out  unceasing  prayer.  And  yet  it  was  not 
always  prayer  as  it  is  generally  understood.  It  was  a 
state  of  heart  which  was  united  to  God  in  faith  and 
self-surrender.  To  articulate  in  human  language  the 
very  thought  of  God  towards  men  was  his  one  aim. 
He  sought  to  stand  in  the  Divine  counsel ;  to  listen  for 
God's  message ;  and  by  self-prostration  and  lowly  waiting 
to  receive  from  heaven  the  testimony  he  had  to  bear. 
No  man  ever  entered  more  completely  into  the  great 
teaching  of  St.  Peter :  "  If  any  man  speak,  let  him 
speak  as  the  oracles  of  God;  if  any  man  minister, 
let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which  God  giveth  ;  that 
God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified  through  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  be  praise  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen." 

The  heart  of  the  son  had  perpetually  gone  forth  to  his 
parents.  His  father  died  in  1803.  A  two  years'  im- 
prisonment, and  all  the  anxieties  and  sufferings  connected 
with  the  revolutionary  struggles  in  France,  had  impaired 
his  health.  He  had  concluded  to  retire  into  Holland, 
and  had  made  preparations  for  leaving  the  city  of  Li- 
moges, and  France,  when,  as  his  son  remarks,  "the  Lord 
was  pleased  to  order  that  his  removal  should  be  far  more 
distant,  even  to  that  world  of  spirits  where  sorrows  for 


52 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


ever  end.  The  afflictions  he  endured  were,  through 
adorable  mercy,  sanctified  to  him.  The  last  years  of  his 
life,  his  nature  was  changed ;  mildness  and  kindness 
were  his  characteristics.  Even  whilst  in  prison,  under 
the  iron  rule  of  Robespierre,  he  would  encourage  his 
fellow-prisoners  to  patient  submission  to  the  Lord's  will. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  integrity,  much  beloved  by  his 
family  and  friends." 

His  mother  was,  however,  residing  at  Brives,  whither 
his  brother  Joseph  had  gone  from  New  York,  and 
Stephen  now  followed.  Unhappily  his  wife's  state  of 
health  forbade  her  accompanying  him,  but  with  her  full 
concurrence  he  went  forth,  and  says  : 

"It  was  a  solemn  parting  between  my  beloved  wife 
and  myself ;  but  the  Lord  gave  strength,  in  humble  sub- 
mission, to  be  resigned  to  His  will,  and  to  follow  Him 
wherever  He  might  be  pleased  to  send  me.  Lord,  for 
Thy  sake  and  Thy  truth,  my  dear  companion  and  Thy 
servant  have  offered  one  another  to  Thee ;  keep  her  by 
Thy  power,  comfort  her  by  Thy  presence  ;  fulfil  the 
promise  Thou  hast  made  to  Thy  servant,  '  My  presence 
shall  go  with  thee,  and  I  will  give  thee  rest.'  None  can 
have  ever  gone  on  the  Lord's  service  under  a  greater 
sense  of  their  poverty,  weakness,  and  inability  of  them- 
selves to  do  anything  to  the  glory  of  God." 

On  board  the  ship  Brunswick,  in  which  he  sailed,  he 
had  many  opportunities  given  to  him  for  what  he  terms 
"  maintaining  my  Christian  testimony  and  opening  the 
principles  of  truth." 

Released  after  some  delay  from  quarantine,  he  made 
his  way  to  Languedoc.  Quotations  from  the  journal  he 
kept  will  give  glimpses  of  the  work  on  which  he  entered. 
His  remarkable  ministry  was  now  to  be  more  manifest. 
At  St.  Hypolite  he  obtained  a  place  for  a  meeting,  and 
narrates  ; 


VISIT  TO  HIS  PATERNAL  HOME.  53 

"  The  place  was  thought  sufficient  to  contain  the 
people,  being  a  large  room  ;  but  it  seemed  as  if  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  had  turned  out.  The  house 
being  filled,  a  large  number  stood  in  the  street,  in  a 
quiet,  becoming  manner.  I  had  taken  my  seat  near  the 
window,  to  be  heard  both  in  the  house  and  in  the 
street.  For  some  time  I  sat  under  great  distress  of 
mind,  yet,  at  the  same  time,  the  love  of  God  through 
Christ  flowed  in  my  heart  towards  the  people.  Abid- 
ing under  it,  I  felt  the  Lord's  power  to  rise  over  all. 
Then  I  thought  I  felt  His  word  of  command  to  preach 
unto  the  multitude  Christ,  with  His  attributes  and  Divine 
offices,  when,  on  hearing  some  bustle  through  the  crowd 
towards  the  door,  Louis  Majolier,  who  sat  by  me, 
whispered  to  me,  '  The  Commissary  of  Police  is  coming.' 
I  so  felt  the  Lord's  power  that  I  answered  him,  '  Fear 
not;  only  be  quiet.'  The  Commissary  then,  drawing  near 
to  me,  said,  'Are  you  the  person  that  is  going  to 
preach?'  I  replied,  'It  may  be  so;  please  to  sit  down;' 
on  which,  taking  me  by  the  collar  of  the  coat,  he  said, 
'You  must  follow  me  to  the  Mayor';  when  I  answered, 
'  I  may  not  detain  thee  long,  please  to  take  a  seat  a  little 
while';  on  which  I  began  to  speak  to  the  people,  as 
the  Lord  gave  me.  He  stood  amazed,  keeping  hold  of 
me  as  I  spoke,  till  at  last  he  said,  '  I  go  and  make  my 
report,'  and  then  he  retired.  I  continued  preaching  to 
the  people,  who  all  kept  quiet,  not  moved  at  all  by 
what  passed.  Indeed,  on  the  contrary,  when  the  Com- 
missary, on  his  way  to  the  door,  passing  by  some 
soldiers  who  were  in  the  meeting-room,  ordered  them 
to  go  and  take  me,  they  answered,  '  We  cannot  disturb  a 
man  thus  engaged.'  I  continued  about  an  hour  to  speak 
to  the  people,  as  the  Lord  enabled  me  ;  for  He  was  with 
us.  His  love  and  power  were  felt  by  many,  whose  spirits 
were  greatly  contrited ;  the  Divine  witness  reached  their 


54 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


hearts.    Having  taken  my  seat,  the  meeting  concluded, 
when  I  judged  it  expedient  to  go  immediately  to  the 
Mayor's  office ;  several  persons  accompanied  me.  Not 
finding  him  there,  I  was  proceeding  to  his  house,  when  I 
met  the  Commissary,  who  began  to  threaten  me  with  im- 
prisonment, and  with  heavy  fines  upon  those  who  were  at 
the  meeting.    We  went  together  with  him  to  the  Mayor's 
house,  and  waited  a  considerable  time  for  his  return.  In 
the  meanwhile,  many  people  out  of  concern  for  me, 
others  from  curiosity,  were  gathered  about  to  see  the  end 
of  this.    At  last,  when  the  Mayor  returned,  the  Commis- 
sary went  to  him  to  make  his  own  representation,  which 
prepossessed  him  against  us,  so  that  when  we  came  in, 
seeing  me  with  my  hat  on,  he  put  on  an  angry  counte- 
nance ;  but,  in  a  mild,  respectful  manner,  I  gave  him 
some  of  my  reasons  for  thus  appearing  covered.    I  had 
hardly  given  my  explanation,  when,  with  a  placid  coun- 
tenance, he  said,  '  I  know  something  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  and  their  manners.'    Then,  making  me  sit  by 
him,  in  presence  of  the  people  now  collected,  he  in- 
quired into  the  object  of  my  present  engagements,  which 
led  to  the  unfolding  of  the  religious  principles  of  our 
Society,  and  various  Christian  testimonies,  after  which, 
in  presence  of  all,  he  read  audibly  the  translation  in 
French  of  my  certificates,  and  heard  my  account  of  the 
care  extended  by  our  Society  towards  their  ministers 
when  thus  going  abroad  as  ambassadors  for  Christ.  He 
said  after  that,  '  I  am  sorry  you  have  been  disturbed ; 
had  I  been  here,  it  would  not  have  been  so.   If  you  wish 
to  have  any  more  meetings,  I  shall  have  care  taken  that 
every  arrangement  be  made,  and  nobody  will  disturb 
you.'    I  accepted  his  civility,  and  we  parted ;  his  heart 
was  open  towards  me.    I  left  with  him  several  books,  in 
French,  on  religious  subjects,  which  he  kindly  accepted  ; 
and  the  next  day,  on  my  way  to  Quissac,  another  town, 


VISIT  TO  HIS  PATERNAL  HOME. 


55 


a  messenger,  sent  by  his  wife,  overtook  me,  requesting 
that  if  I  could  spare  some  more  of  our  books  for  some 
of  their  friends,  it  would  oblige  her.  Among  the  books  I 
gave  were  Penn's  '  Rise  and  Progress  of  Friends,'  his 
'Maxims,'  'No  Cross,  No  Crown,'  and  some  tracts  I  had 
liad  printed  at  Nismes.  The  name  of  the  Mayor  is 
Laperouse." 

At  Quissac  he  preached  at  night,  in  an  orchard,  to 
about  fifteen  hundred  persons,  lanterns  hanging  from  the 
trees,  and  says  : 

"  I  have  seldom  known  a  more  solemn  stillness  pre- 
vailing in  a  religious  meeting  than  we  witnessed  there. 
It  was  a  time  of  very  precious  visitation  of  the  Lord  to 
this  people  ;  the  gospel  descended  upon  them  as  the 
dew  upon  the  tender  grass." 

Travelling  night  and  day  some  hundreds  of  miles,  he 
at  length  reached  Brives,  and  writes  : 

"  The  meeting  with  my  precious  mother  was  an  aftect- 
ing  one.  We  had  not  seen  each  other  since  the  year 
1790,  and  many  eventful  circumstances  had  occurred 
during  that  series  of  years.  Her  sufferings,  and  those  of 
my  dear  father,  during  the  Revolution,  were  great,  more 
so  than  I  had  heard  before. 

"  I  am  here  entirely  surrounded  by  Roman  Catholics, 
and  am  a  public  spectacle  among  them.  Every  part 
of  my  dress,  speech,  and  conduct  is  narrowly  considered, 
and  gives  rise  to  various  inquiries.  My  services  among 
these  people  are  of  a  different  character  from  what  they 
have  generally  been  hitherto.  There  is  no  door  open  as 
yet  for  public  meetings  among  them  ;  but  I  have  inter- 
esting and  solemn  seasons  in  private  circles.  In  almost 
every  company  to  which  I  am  introduced,  their  spirit  of 
inquiry  leads  to  the  unfolding  of  doctrines  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  nature  of  pure  religion.  Thus  I  have  to  set 
before  them  how  unsafe  it  is  to  trust  the  salvation  of  a 


56 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


never-dying  soul  to  what  their  priests  can  do  for  them,  to 
prayers  to  their  saints,  etc.,  the  short  and  only  sure  way 
being,  with  sincere  repentance  for  our  sins,  to  come  to 
Christ  Jesus,  the  only  Saviour,  who  has  given  Himself  for 
us  to  save  us  from  sin,  and  not  that  we  should  continue 
to  live  in  sin. 

"  I  have  been  with  several  of  the  priests,  but  how 
dark  and  ignorant  they  are  :  pleading  for  their  various 
superstitions,  gaudy  practices  in  their  masses,  confes- 
sions, worship,  their  indulgences,  pilgrimages,  and  many 
such  doings.  They  bring  forth  tradition  as  their  author- 
ity, which,  they  say,  has  proceeded  from  oral  command, 
delivered  by  the  apostles  to  the  church,  and  has  regu- 
larly descended  to  them  through  the  popes  and  bishops, 
etc.,  and  that  their  traditions  supersede  the  express 
testimonies  of  the  Scriptures,  the  contents  of  which  most 
of  them  are  very  ignorant  of.  I  directed  them,  on  the 
other  hand,  to  Christ,  '  the  true  Light  that  enlighteneth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,'  and  to  His 
Spirit,  '  a  manifestation  of  which  is  given  to  every  man,' 
whose  teaching  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  for  '  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  it;'  whereas  their  pretended  traditions  or  Popes' 
decrees  are  most  of  them  contrary  to  the  express  lan- 
guage of  the  Scriptures. 

"Yet  I  find  amidst  such  a  mist  of  darkness  some 
tender,  spiritually  minded  persons,  who,  I  trust,  are  near 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Our  merciful  High  Priest,  who  is 
touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  has  regard  to 
the  integrity  of  their  hearts.  I  have  had  frequent  oppor- 
tunities to  open  to  some  of  these  the  pure  and  undefiled 
way  to  life  everlasting.  Their  hearts  rejoice  at  the  glad 
tidings.  Several  of  these  are  among  the  nuns.  In  one 
convent,  their  superior,  being  a  sensible  woman,  hears 
the  truth  with  gladness,  and  gives  me  opportunities  for 


VISIT  TO  Ills  TATE  RIVAL  HOME. 


57 


unfolding  the  gospel  to  the  inmates  of  her  convent. 
If  the  priests  encouraged  them  in  the  right  way,  by  ex- 
ample and  precept,  instead  of  setting  a  stumbling-block 
before  them,  bright  instruments  might  arise  from  among 
them.  I  marvel  indeed  how,  under  their  present  circum- 
stances, I  can  have  so  open  a  door  with  them ;  ecclesi- 
astics have  endeavoured  to  represent  me  to  them  as 
a  very  dangerous  person,  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Romish 
Church,  and  that  out  of  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Apo- 
stolic Church  there  is  no  salvation.  But  these  pious 
persons  say  that  it  is  the  true  and  everlasting  gospel  that 
I  declare  to  them,  and  their  confidence  in  their  priests 
is  shaken. 

"  This  has  been  the  case  with  my  beloved  mother. 
She  felt  such  concern  on  my  account,  thinking  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  representations  of  the  priests,  I  must  be 
finally  lost,  as  a  heretic,  that  she  had  them  to  say  masses 
on  my  behalf,  and  paid  also  money  that  prayers  might 
be  put  up  on  my  account ;  not  satisfied  with  that,  she 
urged  me  to  accompany  her  to  her  confessor,  a  monk  in 
whom  she  placed  great  confidence,  hoping  he  would 
convert  me  to  the  Papists'  faith.  To  satisfy  her,  I 
yielded  to  her  request.  But  great  was  her  disappoint- 
ment when  she  saw  that,  instead  of  using  the  arguments 
she  expected  to  convince  me,  he  gave  way  to  bitter  in- 
vectives and  reflections,  because  I  would  not  fight,  re- 
fused to  take  oaths,  etc.  I  brought  forward  clear  Scrip- 
ture passages,  as  authority,  from  the  positive  commands 
of  Christ  the  Lord,  whom  we  are  to  obey  in  all  things, 
adducing  also  the  apostles  and  the  practices  of  the 
primitive  believers.  Then  he  gave  way  to  anger,  so  that 
he  could  proceed  no  further,  and  being  worked  up  into 
a  passion,  I  left  him  in  that  state.  After  we  got  out, 
my  beloved  mother  lifted  up  her  hands  in  astonish- 
ment at  conduct  so  unbecoming  the  Christian  professor ; 


58 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


and  from  that  time  her  mind  has  been  much  more  open 
to  receive  the  truth.  Like  the  noble  Bereans,  she 
peruses  and  searches  diligently  the  Scriptures,  a  copy  of 
which  I  have  given  her,  to  know  if  these  things  are  so. 

"  I  continued  at  and  about  Brives  thus  engaged,  amidst 
many  secret  and  more  public  trials,  till  the  6th  of 
Eleventh  Month.  I  then  went  to  Limoges,  the  place  of 
my  nativity.  My  being  here  revives  many  past  occur- 
rences, and  awakens  feelings  of  humble  gratitude  for  the 
mercy  and  power  of  the  blessed  Saviour  who  so  long 
bore  with  me,  and  waited  to  be  gracious  to  my  then  im- 
penitent soul.  It  also  brings  to  view  the  many  sufferings 
that  my  beloved  parents  have  endured,  even  from  per- 
sons who  have  been  amongst  their  greatest  intimates.  I 
felt  nothing  but  love.  Christian  love,  towards  them,  and 
in  this  I  have  visited  several  of  them  ;  one  of  them,  the 
Mayor  of  the  city,  who  had  been  among  the  greatest 
persecutors  of  my  family  during  the  Revolution,  told  me, 
in  allusion  to  those  days,  '  We  have  in  your  absence 
acted  more  like  ferocious  beasts  than  men, — much  less 
Christians.' 

"  On  the  9th,  I  went  to  Bellac,  to  my  beloved  sister  De 
Boise's ;  there,  or  in  the  neighbourhood,  I  stayed  till  the 
27  th.  I  had  some  interesting  religious  meetings  and 
opportunities.  One  of  these  was  with  one  of  my  old 
tutors  in  my  father's  house,  whom  I  visited  at  the  college 
of  Magnac.  He  is  a  priest,  and  the  head  of  the  college  ; 
he  was  much  pleased  to  see  his  former  pupil,  and  mani- 
fested more  liberality  than  it  is  common  to  find  among 
that  class  of  men.  My  dear  sister  is  one  who  is  less 
under  the  shackles  of  superstition  than  most.  I  have 
great  comfort  in  being  with  her. 

"I  returned  to  Limoges  on  the  28th,  where,  my  dear 
Master  opening  a  door  for  preaching  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,!  continued  till  the  14th  of  Twelfth  Month. 


VISIT  TO  HIS  PATERyAL  HOME. 


59 


I  had  many  public  as  well  as  private  religious  seasons, 
so  that  many  of  the  priests  became  much  alarmed.  It 
being  the  time  when  some  of  their  renowned  orators 
who  had  come  from  a  distance  preach  every  day,  I  was 
made  the  subject  of  discourse,  in  a  large  church.  Their 
church  was  represented  as  in  the  most  critical  state ; 
Buonaparte,  it  was  said,  had  sent  for  me,  from  the  remote 
parts  of  America,  to  undermine,  and  if  possible,  to  de- 
stroy their  holy  religion.     Such  representations  excited 
the  public  curiosity  still  more,  and  brought  many  more 
to  the  meetings  I  held.  Others  also  pay  me  private  visits, 
some  from  curiosity  only,  but  others  from  a  disposition 
to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.    Among  these 
some  of  the  nuns  that  I  have  visited  have  manifested 
great  tenderness ;  but  it  is  very  hard  for  them  to  be 
emancipated  from  the  fear  of  their  priests.    I  have  had 
several  conferences  with  some  of  the  latter,  but  very  few 
of  them  to  satisfaction,  for  want  of  their  keeping  in 
Christian  temper.     One  of  them,  however,  must  be 
excepted, — the  teacher  of  theology  in  the  Priests'  Semi- 
nary.   I  was  also  with  another  who,  before  the  Revo- 
lution,  was  their  renowned  preacher.      During  the 
Revolution,  before  the  rude,  lawless  multitude,  he  pub- 
licly reviled  and  blasphemed  the  Divine  character  of  our 
I^ord  Jesus  Christ,  trampled  upon  the  Christian  religion, 
turning  it  into  ridicule,  and  told  them,  '  These  forty  years 
have  I  been  deceiving  you  and  myself,'  and  then  gave 
way,  with  the  multitude,  to  acts  of  vileness  and  profan- 
ity, defiling  their  altars,  and  setting  up  the  goddess  of 
reason  (as  they  called  a  young  woman)  upon  them.  I 
did  not  know  then  who  the  man  was.     There  was  a 
company  present  of  about  forty  persons,  when,  in  a  mild, 
becoming  manner,  he  inquired  into  my  views  on  the 
nature  of  the  fall  of  man,  and  of  his  restoration  through 
Jesus  Christ,  baptism  and  their  various  sacraments^  the 


6o 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Eucharist,  etc. ;  also,  into  the  nature  of  true  gospel 
ministry  and  worship,  what  constitutes  the  true  church 
of  Christ,  etc.  After  I  had  distinctly  answered  him 
on  every  one  of  these  important  subjects,  and  some 
others,  he  told  the  company  present  in  a  solemn,  im- 
pressive manner,  '  You  have  heard  this  day  more  true 
gospel  divinity  than  you  have  ever  done  before,  or,  may 
be,  ever  shall  again.'  I  find  that  this  man,  after  having 
gone  to  such  a  length  in  infidelity,  saw  his  errors,  and 
the  errors  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  he  had  so  zeal- 
ously espoused  before.  Therefore,  though  pressed  by 
the  clergy  to  resume  his  former  duties,  and  even  to  ac- 
cept greater  preferment,  he  declined  ;  he  also  refused 
to  deliver,  at  the  Bishop's  request,  his  manuscripts  of 
sermons,  that  they  might  be  preached  again,  stating  that 
they  were  written  when  his  mind  was  in  darkness,  and 
understood  not  the  great  truths  of  Christianity,  as  he 
now  beheld  them. 

"  I  might  write  much  of  the  various  steps  taken  by 
some  of  the  priests,  or  their  agents,  to  try  to  gain  me 
to  their  ways  :  sometimes  they  would  make  great  pro- 
mises of  the  Church's  honours  and  preferments,  which 
should  be  bestowed  upon  me,  if  I  would  embrace  their 
opinions ;  then  again,  they  poured  out  upon  me  their 
anathemas,  etc.  I  have  also  frequently  had  to  encounter 
open  Deists,  and  even  Atheists. 

"I  returned  to  Brives  the  14th  of  the  First  Month, 
1808,  and  continued  thereabouts  till  the  23rd,  having 
some  large  meetings.  I  then  went  to  Bordeaux,  by  the 
way  of  Bergerac.  My  way  in  Bordeaux  is  much  shut 
up,  though  I  have  the  comfort  of  being  with  my  dear 
brother  Joseph,  who  for  the  present  resides  in  this 
city. 

"  The  almost  uninterrupted  wars  in  which  this  nation 
has  been  involved  for  some  years  past,  together  with 


VISIT  TO  HIS  PATERNAL  HOME  6i 


the  oppressive  system  of  the  conscription,  have  brought 
obvious  desolation  and  distress  over  the  face  of  the 
country.  In  many  places  comparatively  few  men,  besides 
those  in  public  offices,  are  to  be  seen,  except  those 
maimed  by  the  war,  or  the  aged ;  so  that  females  have 
to  perform,  out  of  doors,  a  great  part  of  the  laborious 
work  that  generally  devolves  upon  men.  My  heart  is 
also  often  made  sad  in  beholding  the  bands  of  young 
conscripts,  marching  tovTards  the  army,  now  preparing  to 
invade  Spain. 

"  Day  and  night  my  mind  is  turned  towards  Buona- 
parte. O  could  I  plead  with  him  !  could  I  bring  him  to 
feel  and  see,  as  I  do,  the  horror  and  misery  he  is  accu- 
mulating upon  man,  and  the  vices  and  immoralities  he 
causes  poor  unwary  youth  to  be  involved  in  !  I  have 
made  several  trials  to  procure  passports  to  go  to  Paris, 
but  cannot  obtain  them,  yet  I  have  not  told  anybody 
the  concern  I  feel  for  the  Emperor.  If  this  is  a  service 
that  the  Lord  has  for  me.  He  is  all-powerful  to  open  a 
door  for  it — into  His  hands  I  commit  myself 

"  I  have  found  here  a  few  pious  Christians.  Among 
others  an  aged  nun,  who  manifests  much  humility  and 
brokenness  of  heart;  she  is  acquainted  with  inward 
watchfulness  and  prayer  ;  it  is  her  soul's  delight  silently 
to  wait  upon  the  Lord,  and  to  meditate  on  His  law. 
She  finds,  she  says,  far  more  consolation  in  this  silent 
exercise  before  God,  than  in  any  outward  performance ; 
yet  the  rules  of  her  Order  require  that  she  should  read 
every  day  the  Breviary,  a  long  form  of  prayers  and  col- 
lects in  Latin,  of  which  she  hardly  understands  a  word. 
She  laments  the  more  her  situation  as  she  knows  of 
none  about  her  who  understand  the  nature  of  her  soul's 
exercise  and  travail ;  she  is  even  afraid  they  should 
know  it.  I  had  a  sweet  opportunity  with  her ;  the  lan- 
guage of  encouragement  flowed  towards  her.   I  have  also 


62 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


had  several  relieving  meetings  with  small  select  com- 
panies." * 

The  military  rule  and  repressive  despotism  of  Napo- 
leon were  now  felt  everywhere  in  France.  Of  religious 
liberty  there  was  none.  It  was  a  remarkable  fact  that 
Mr.  Grellet,  at  such  a  time  of  fierce  oppression  and 
wasting,  should  have  had  access  to  Roman  Catholics 
and  Protestants  in  every  place  he  visited.  In  his  happy 
freedom  from  theological  restraints  we  have  just  seen  him 
remark,  "  Amidst  much  darkness  I  find  some  who  are 
near  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  our  merciful  High  Priest 
has  regard  to  the  integrity  of  their  hearts."  Has  not 
this  always  been  seen  ?  "  God  is  on  the  look  out  for  the 
right  intent,"  and  this  man  of  God  was  made  a  messen- 
ger of  direction  to  these  persons  who  in  that  terrible 
time  had  their  faces  to  the  light.  No  doubt  his  pure 
French,  polished  manners,  and  impressive  presence  car- 
ried influence,  but  the  sway  he  exerted,  on  this  his  first 
visit  to  Europe,  was  mainly  owing  to  his  godly  sincerity, 
and  to  that  self-abnegation  which  opens  a  channel  for 
the  outflowing  to  men  of  Divine  love. 

His  way  for  remaining  longer  in  France  not  being 
further  open,  and  his  purpose  of  visiting  his  own  family 


*  Six  years  after  these  events  he  was  again  in  Brives,  and  re- 
marks : — "  I  am  much  comforted  in  Ijeing  permitted  to  be  again 
with  my  beloved  aged  motlier,  wlio,  since  I  was  here,  has,  under 
the  teachings  of  the  grace  of  God,  made  further  advances  in  vital 
Christianity  ;  the  scales  of  superstition  that  were  once  upon  her  eyes 
have  now  fallen  off;  her  hope  and  confidence  are  no  longer  in  the 
priests,  or  the  Pope,  but  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  alone  ;  her  delight 
is  to  read  the  Scriptures,  a  copy  of  which  (in  French)  I  left  with  her 
on  my  previous  visit.  Among  the  pious  persons  I  visited  soon  after 
my  coming  here  were  the  nuns  of  the  hospital,  with  whom  I  had 
such  precious  seasons  of  the  Lord's  favour  six  years  ago.  Their 
aged  and  venerable  Superior  continued  in  the  greenness  of  the 
Divine  life,  manifesting  Christian  meekness  and  humility."  Many 
of  the  sisters  continued  to  read  the  Scriptures  left  with  them,  and 
were  now  truly  pious  persons. 


VISIT  TO  Ills  PATERNAL  HOME. 


63 


having  been  accomplished,  he  returned  to  the  United 
States  and  to  Mrs.  Grellet. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  let  a  word  of  encourage- 
ment be  given  to  Christian  hearts  whose  absorbing 
solicitude  is  the  conversion  unto  Christ  of  those  related 
to  them  by  family  ties.  Stephen  Grellet  learnt  that  his 
father  had  laid  aside  the  pride  of  rank,  and  the  bitter- 
ness awakened  by  popular  tyranny,  and  had  come  with 
a  childlike  teachableness  to  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 
He  saw  his  mother  no  longer  influenced  by  her  strong 
prejudices  against  Protestantism,  but,  during  the  latter 
years  of  her  life,  finding  in  the  Saviour  a  perfect  rest, 
and  beautiful  saintliness.  He  rejoiced  over  his  brothers, 
and  other  members  of  the  family,  who,  with  candid 
simplicity,  received  the  testimony  he  bore  to  them. 
While,  however,  we  note  how  his  prayer  for  them 
"availed  much,"  do  we  not  learn  that  the  prayer  which 
prevails  is  that  of  the  righteous  man,  who  with  the 
tenderest  and  most  yearning  love  lays  the  suit  for  dear 
ones  on  the  heart  of  Infinite  Grace?  Pleasant  moreover 
to  all  of  us,  as  we  turn  our  thoughts  to  availing  inter- 
cession, to  strengthen  ourselves  by  the  assurance  of  in- 
spiration, "  We  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
C/ifist  the  righteous." 


CHAPTER  VII. 


"  INSTANT  IN  SEASON,  OUT  OF  SEASON." 

ALTHOUGH  it  is  quite  customary  for  the  Society 
of  Friends  to  defray  the  expenses  of  their  members 
who  travel  in  the  service  of  the  gospel,  and  although 
Stephen  Grellet  might  have  availed  himself  of  this  willing 
aid,  with  characteristic  disinterestedness  he  declined  to 
do  so. 

"The  Lord  has  so  blessed  me,"  was  the  grateful 
record  of  this  devoted  servant,  "  that  to  His  praise  be  it 
acknowledged,  I  have  gone  on  my  own  charges  through- 
out all  the  e.Ktensive  religious  journeys  I  have  to  this 
time  taken  ;  though  some  of  these  have  been  expensive  ; 
my  journey  through  France,  and  crossing  the  sea,  espe- 
cially so ;  and  on  this  continent  I  have  lost  three  horses. 
But  I  have  only  thus  returned  to  my  blessed  Master,  in 
His  service,  what  He  has  bountifully  bestowed  upon  me. 
My  friends  in  New  York  would  have  paid  my  passage 
across  the  sea,  but  I  could  not  consent  to  it." 

Marvellous  is  the  record  of  his  labours  from  this  time 
in  every  direction.  We  find  him  resisting  a  rationalistic 
movement  commenced  by  a  Quaker  of  the  name  of 
Elias  Hicks,  which  had,  twenty  years  afterwards,  a  fatal 
development  among  many  in  false  doctrine,  coldness  of 
religious  life,  worldliness  of  habit,  and  a  quenching  of 
the  zeal  and  philanthropy  which  had  hitherto  distin- 
guished the  Friends.  Stephen  Grellet  withstood,  as  he 
was  able,  the  beginnings  of  the  defection.    At  a  Yearly 

Meeting  in  New  York,  in  May,  1808,  he  felt  it  his  duty 

64 


"INSTANT  IN  SEASON,  OUT  OF  SEASON."  65 

to  expose  the  subtle  flillacies  of  an  acute  but  shallow 
school  of  thinkers,  to  forewarn  of  the  results  that  would 
follow  a  deviation  from  the  distinctive  teaching  of  Scrip- 
ture as  to  the  eternal  glory  of  the  Redeemer,  and  to  vin- 
dicate the  doctrinal  soundness  of  the  Protestant  Confes- 
sions which  had  hitherto  been  maintained  by  the 
Society.  For  a  comparatively  young  man  this  was  a  bold 
course  to  take,  but  the  wisdom  of  it  was  subsequently 
justified.  Of  himself,  however,  he  says:  "Lie  low,  O 
my  soul  !  abide  in  humility  and  meekness  before  the 
Lord  thy  Redeemer,  whom  thou  hast  so  frequently 
known  to  be  thy  Strength  in  weakness,  thy  Leader  and 
Deliverer." 

After  this  he  made  a  tour  through  the  Southern  and 
Western  American  States.  Passing  through  Baltimore  he 
came  "under  great  exercise"  because  of  the  oppression 
in  which  the  poor  slaves  were  kept.  At  Georgetown  the 
Presbyterian  church  was  opened  to  him ;  at  Washington 
the  President's  wife,  Mrs.  Madison,  and  her  sister  attended 
his  services  and  invited  him  to  share  the  hospitality  of 
the  White  House.  A  striking  incident  is  mentioned  by 
him  in  his  memoranda  of  this  journey. 

"  A  physician,  a  tender-spirited  man,  with  much  feeling 
related  to  me  the  following  circumstance.  A  few  weeks 
ago,  he  was  sent  for  by  a  planter,  who  resides  some 
miles  hence,  to  visit  one  of  his  slaves.  On  entering  the 
miserable  cabin  in  which  the  sick  man  was,  the  slave- 
holder accompanying  him,  he  saw  the  poor  slave 
stretched  on  a  little  straw.  On  examining  him,  he  found 
him  in  an  apparently  unconscious  and  dying  state.  The 
master,  who  was  not  aware  of  his  low  condition,  began 
in  very  abusive  language  to  upbraid  and  threaten  him, 
using  very  coarse  epithets ;  he  said,  '  By  pretending  to 
be  religious,  and  going  to  your  meetings,  you  have  got 
this  sickness  ;  but,  as  soon  as  you  are  better,  I  will  cure 

Y 


66 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


you  witli  a  thousand  laslies.'  The  physician  told  him 
that,  from  all  appearance,  the  poor  man  had  but  a  few 
moments  to  live ; — upon  which,  the  slave  suddenly  raised 
liimself,  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and,  stretching  forth  his 
hands,  said  in  an  audible  voice,  '  I  thank  Thee,  Lord 
Jesus,  my  blessed  Redeemer,  for  all  Thy  mercies  to  Thy 
poor  servant;  now  receive  my  spirit  into  Thy  kingdom'; 
and  then  expired.  The  scene  was  awful ;  the  slave- 
holder stood  speechless  and  amazed  ;  amidst  his  threats 
and  reproaches,  his  poor  slave  was  taken  out  of  his 
power ;  he  could  oppress  him  no  longer,  his  spirit  had 
triumphantly  quitted  its  afflicted  tenement.  The  slave- 
holder and  the  physician  both  remained  silent  about  ten 
minutes,  and  without  uttering  a  word  the  latter  mounted 
his  horse  and  left  the  place,  with  impressions  that  con- 
tinued deep  upon  him,  as  he  related  the  circumstance  to 
me." 

In  Richmond,  Virginia,  in  Petersburg  and  other  places, 
he  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  slaves,  as  it  was  "  often  given 
him  to  do  in  these  Southern  States."  Thence  he  passed 
through  North  Carolina  and  many  parts  of  the  South, 
unfolding  everywhere  the  truth  of  man's  fallen  and  sinful 
condition,  and  of  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord.  This  was,  we  are  told,  ever  his  message —  (" 
"  What  Christ  has  done  for  us,  and  without  our  aid ;  how 
His  meritorious  death  and  most  holy  and  acceptable 
offering  of  Himself  for  our  sins  are  the  way  of  our  recon- 
ciliation with  God  ;  what  the  eternal  Spirit  of  grace  does 
7vitJiin  us ;  how  through  obedience  of  faith  we  may  be  , 
renewed  in  newness  of  life,  and  finally  obtain  entrance  \ 
into  the  glorious  kingdom  of  everlasting  blessedness, 
where  Satan  the  grand  deceiver  and  adversary  has  no 
more  place,  and  the  purified  spirits  can  never  fall." 

With  such  a  message,  adapted  to  the  varied  circum- 
stances of  his  hearers,  he  held  meetings  in  Methodist 


"LVST.iyy  i.v  SE.iso.v,  our  of  season."  67 


churches,  court  houses,  and  rooms  of  the  Society  of 
Friends.  Mayors,  and  the  chief  inhabitants  of  towns 
attended,  and  the  slaves  who  went  to  hear  came 
away  exclaiming,  "  This  is  the  everlasting  gospel  that 
we  have  heard." 

At  Lynchburg,  while  he  was  preaching  in  the  court 
house,  and  denouncing  the  abominable  traffic  in  human 
flesh,  three  men  entered  and  sat  down  before  him. 
They  were  travelling  through  the  country  for  this  very 
traffic,  and  came  into  the  meeting  with  the  hope  of 
finding  slaves  whom  they  might  purchase.  God  applied 
the  message  so  to  their  hearts,  and  they  saw  in  such 
dark  colours  the  wickedness  of  their  trade,  that  they 
burst  out  weeping  before  the  people. 

Thus  he  preached  throughout  Kentucky  and  Ohio, 
riding  on  horseback  and  over  bad  roads,  often  mere 
"  Indian  paths,"  from  one  settlement  to  another. 
Fatigue,  and  exposure  to  heat  and  changes  of  the 
atmosphere,  so  told  upon  him  that  we  find  him  fainting 
at  the  close  of  a  meeting.  For  a  short  time,  through 
pressure  of  disease,  his  religious  engagements  were 
suspended.  His  strength  renewed,  he  took  up  again 
his  testimony,  day  by  day,  and  after  a  journey  of  eight 
months'  continuance  returned  to  New  York.  There 
he  again  united  with  his  family  in  offering  gratitude  and 
praise,  and  surrendering  themselves  afresh  to  "  serve 
their  blessed  Lord  and  holy  Redeemer." 

On  account  of  the  health  of  Mrs.  Grellet,  a  home 
had  been  secured  away  from  the  city,  in  the  village  of 
Greenwich.  At  this  place  lived  the  notorious  Thomas 
Paine,  whose  infidel  works,  especially  the  "Age  of 
Reason,"  which  affirmed  that  the  Bible  taught  nothing 
but  "lies,  obscenity,  cruelty,  and  injustice,"  had  had 
a  most  baleful  effect  in  America  and  Great  Britain  in 
the  early  part  of  this  century.    An  authentic  account 


6S 


STEPHE.Y  GRELLET. 


of  the  last  days  of  such  a  man  may  have  some  historical 
interest.    Stephen  Grellet  thus  notices  his  decease. 

"  I  may  not  omit  recording  here  the  death  of  Thomas 
Paine.  A  few  days  previous  to  my  leaving  home  on 
my  last  religious  visit,  on  hearing  that  he  was  ill,  and 
in  a  very  destitute  condition,  I  went  to  see  him,  and 
found  him  in  a  wretched  state ;  for  he  had  been  so 
neglected,  and  forsaken  by  his  pretended  friends,  that 
the  common  attentions  to  a  sick  man  had  been  withheld 
from  him.  The  skin  of  his  body  was  in  some  places 
worn  off,  which  greatly  increased  his  sufferings.  A 
nurse  was  provided  for  him,  and  some  needful  comforts 
were  supplied.  He  was  mostly  in  a  state  of  stupor, 
but  something  that  had  passed  between  us  had  made 
such  an  impression  upon  him,  that  some  days  after 
my  departure  he  sent  for  me,  and,  on  being  told  that 
I  was  gone  from  home,  he  sent  for  another  Friend. 
This  induced  a  valuable  young  Friend  (Mary  Roscoe), 
who  had  resided  in  my  family,  and  continued  at 
Greenwich  during  part  of  my  absence,  frequently  to  go 
and  take  him  some  little  refreshment  suitable  for  an 
invalid,  furnished  by  a  neighbour.  Once  when  she  was 
there,  three  of  his  deistical  associates  came  to  the  door, 
and  in  a  loud,  unfeeling  manner  said,  '  Tom  Paine,  it 
is  said  you  are  turning  Christian,  but  we  hope  you  will 
die  as  you  have  lived ' ;  and  then  went  away.  On 
which,  turning  to  Mary  Roscoe,  he  said,  '  You  see 
what  miserable  comforters  they  are.' 

"  Once  he  asked  her  if  she  had  ever  read  any  of  his 
A\Titings,  and  on  being  told  that  she  had  read  but  very 
little  of  them,  he  inquired  what  she  thought  of  them, 
adding,  'from  such  a  one  as  you  I  expect  a  correct 
answer.'  She  told  him  that  when  very  young  his  '  Age 
of  Reason '  was  put  into  her  hands,  but  that  the  more 
she  read  in  it,  the  more  dark  and  distressed  she  felt, 


"INSTANT  IN  SEASON",  OUT  OF  SEASON."  69 


and  she  threw  the  book  into  the  fire.  *  I  wish  all 
had  done  as  you,'  he  replied:  'for  if  the  Devil  has 
ever  had  any  agency  in  any  work,  he  has  had  it  in  my 
writing  that  book.'  When  going  to  carry  him  some 
refreshment,  she  repeatedly  heard  him  uttering  the 
language,  '  O  Lord  !  Lord  God  ! '  or,  '  Lord  Jesus  ! 
have  mercy  upon  me  ! ' 

"  It  is  well  known  that  during  some  weeks  of  his 
illness,  when  a  little  free  from  bodily  pain,  he  wrote  a 
great  deal ;  this  his  nurse  told  me ;  and  Mary  Roscoe 
repeatedly  saia  him  writing.  If  his  companions  in 
infidelity  had  found  anything  to  support  the  idea  that 
on  his  death-bed  he  continued  to  espouse  their  cause, 
would  they  not  eagerly  have  published  it  ?  But  not 
a  word  is  said :  there  is  a  total  secrecy  as  to  what  has 
become  of  these  writings." 

There  is  ground  for  believing  that  Paine's  infidel  asso- 
ciates came  into  possession  of  these  papers,  and  finding 
that  they  contained  a  retractation  of  his  former  opinions, 
destroyed  them.  All  we  would  say  is, — Happy  are  the 
writers  who, 

"  Dying,  leave  no  line  tliey  wish  to  blot." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

IT  was  in  the  ordering  of  Divine  Providence  that 
Stephen  Grellet,  from  the  autumn  of  1809  to  the 
summer  of  181 1,  remained  in  New  York  engaged  in 
business,  and  confining  his  reUgious  labours  chiefly  to 
the  city.  It  was  the  will  of  God  that  Paul,  on  his 
arrival  in  Europe,  should  first  teach  the  women  gathered 
for  prayer  by  the  river  side  in  Philippi,  and  afterwards 
make  tents  at  Corinth.  FolloAving  in  the  footsteps  of 
the  apostle  in  business  and  ministry,  Mr.  Grellet's 
thoughts  once  more  turned  to  the  interests  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  and  to  the  cause  of  God  in 
Europe.  The  inward  conviction  arose  that  he  might 
first  be  able  to  enter  upon  a  mission  of  encourage- 
ment and  testimony  in  the  British  Isles.  It  was  a 
time  of  wars,  dear  food,  sore  privation,  and  universal 
distress.  He  therefore  sailed  to  Liverpool,  and  con- 
tinued in  this  country  about  two  years.  The  whole 
period  was  a  perpetual  ministry  in  public  and  private. 
While  it  was  chiefly  in  the  meeting-houses  of  Friends 
and  in  attendance  on  their  periodic  assemblies  that 
he  ministered,  his  labours  were  not  confined  to  any  re- 
stricted circle.  In  those  years  of  heavy  trouble  and 
alarm  he  spoke  in  other  Christian  churches,  and  did 
this  throughout  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales. 
In  every  place  his  visit  brought  comfort,  stimulus  and 
revival.    His   words   were   clothed   witli  remarkable 

power.    Never  did  a  man  more  abide  in  union  with 

70 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN.  71 

God,  and  the  Divine  Spirit  attended  him  everywhere. 
He  urged  in  Great  Britain  the  practical  duties  of 
Christianity ;  unfolded  the  nature  of  pure  and  undefiled 
religion ;  insisted  on  the  duty  of  benevolence  and  self- 
sacrifice  on  behalf  of  sufferers,  and  the  oppressed ; 
pressed  upon  Christians  that  they  should  seek  to  have 
fulfilled  in  them  the  Divine  promise — "  they  shall  be  all 
taught  of  God,"  and  exhorted  to  the  searching  of  the 
Scriptures  which  testify  of  Christ. 

It  is  not  easy  to  estimate  the  value  of  sucli  a  mission 
by  a  man  so  eminently  filled  with  the  Spirit  of  grace 
and  wisdom.  Revival  preachers  of  these  later  years 
have  sometimes  failed  to  utter  the  whole  mind  of  God. 
They  have  exalted  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  but  have  not 
set  forth  its  holy  requirements.  The  gospel  does  no- 
thing satisfactory  for  a  man  if  it  does  not  deliver  the 
heart  from  the  self  direction  of  sin,  and  produce  in 
the  life  a  loving  loyalty  towards  God.  It  was  through 
the  foresight  of  the  Almighty  Father  that  Stephen 
Grellet  gave  a  testimony  throughout  the  British  Isles 
remarkably  suited  to  the  period.  This  great  nation 
was  soon  to  enter  upon  a  new  era  of  national  justice 
and  righteousness.  The  evils  and  hypocrisy  of  the 
Test  and  Corporation  Acts  were  to  be  extinguished ; 
the  disintegrations,  alienations,  and  heart-burnings  of 
Roman  Catholic  restrictions  and  of  Jewish  disabilities 
were  to  be  abolished  ;  the  rights  of  the  subject, 
and  the  recognition  of  the  rising  importance  of  the 
great  commercial  towns  of  the  kingdom,  were  to  be 
acknowledged  by  reform  in  Parliament ;  the  abomi- 
nations and  selfish  cruelties  of  colonial  slavery,  that 
"  sum  of  all  villanies,"  were  to  be  swept  away ;  inter- 
course with  all  the  nations  of  the  world  was  to  be 
opened,  and  the  tax  put  upon  the  bread- corn  of  the 
people,  as  it  entered  our  ports,  was  to  be  repealed  by 


72 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


the  introduction  of  Free  Trade ;  and,  with  all,  education 
was  to  arrest  ignorance,  to  roll  back  a  threatening  tide 
of  barbarism,  and  to  prepare  the  nation  for  its  future 
destiny.  Above  all  others  the  members  of  the  in- 
telligent Society  of  Friends  have  contributed  to  the 
accomplishment  of  these  magnificent  achievements. 
Their  adhesion  to  these  projects  has  been  unflinching, 
and  singularly  unanimous.  Their  attachment  has  been 
always  decided  and  steadfast.  They  have  brought  to 
the  carrying  of  these  great  ameliorating  measures  a 
weight  of  character,  an  integrity  of  purpose,  and  a  self- 
sacrifice,  which  it  is  impossible  adequately  to  estimate. 
Without  heat  or  noise,  their  influence  has  been  power- 
fully pervasive  in  the  struggles  and  conflicts  which  have 
secured  blessings  of  such  vast  import  to  this  land,  and 
to  every  land  under  the  sun. 

Is  it  too  much  to  suppose  that  the  ministry  of  Stephen 
Grellet  in  almost  every  county  of  the  kingdom  prepared 
the  sons  in  Quaker  families  for  that  firm  and  persistent 
action  put  forth  in  the  years  which  followed  his  visit  ? 
The  action  was  more  than  political.  An  irreligious 
politician  is  often  found  unreliable.  The  Society  of 
Friends  regarded  the  cause  of  popular  education  in 
England  as  philanthropic  and  religious.  Their  devotion 
to  this  national  question  was  the  earliest,  and  has  never 
wavered  for  more  than  half  a  century.  To  them  be- 
longs the  honour  of  being  the  first  to  petition  for  the 
abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  and  afterwards  for  that 
of  slavery  itself.  Their  sacrifices,  devotion,  and  most 
pronounced  hostility  to  colonial  slavery  contributed 
largely  to  the  final  victory.  Their  unswerving  advocacy 
of  the  most  complete  rights  of  conscience,  and  of 
political  justice,  was  not  merely  sustained  by  their 
high  probity  and  weight  of  character,  but,  as  in  the 
case  of  their  philanthropic  labours,  was  always  based 


FIRST 


VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


73 


upon  religious  principle.  It  may  justly  be  thought  that 
Mr.  Grellet's  powerful  and  most  Christian  addresses  and 
influence,  in  the  periodic  meetings  and  private  circles  of 
the  Friends,  signally  conduced  to  these  great  results. 

The  bare  enumeration  of  the  places  at  which  he  held 
meetings  would  occupy  much  space.  In  the  eastern, 
northern,  and  western  counties ;  in  large  cities  like 
Liverpool,  Hull,  Birmingham,  Leeds,  Bradford,  and 
Newcastle  ;  in  Edinburgh,  and  the  towns  of  Scotland ; 
in  Dublin  and  the  counties  of  Ireland;  and  in  different 
parts  of  the  Principality  of  Wales,  he  was  welcomed  and 
listened  to  as  a  minister  of  God.  In  Newcastle,  under 
an  impulse  of  a  "  great  concern  "  that  came  upon  him, 
he  held  meetings  for  the  colliers  and  those  employed 
in  furnaces  and  glasshouses.  "  Divine  love  was  in  an 
extraordinary  manner  experienced  over  these  assem- 
blies." In  Birmingham  the  large  Independent  meeting- 
house was  opened  to  him  :  "  the  concourse  of  people 
was  very  great."  The  house  was  crowded,  and  many 
remained  out  of  doors.  "  A  Divine  solemnity  was 
spread  over  the  multitude.  The  Spirit  gave  strength 
and  qualification  to  proclaim  what  the  Christian  religion 
is."  At  Northampton  the  Friends'  meeting-house  was 
filled  half  an  hour  before  the  service  began  ;  not  one- 
fifth  of  the  people  assembled  could  obtain  admittance. 
The  meeting-house  in  which  Dr.  Philip  Doddridge  once 
ministered  was  immediately  opened  to  the  crowd.  In 
Scotland  the  Presbyterians  in  a  similar  manner  opened 
their  churches.  In  Bradford,  Yorkshire,  and  the  neigh- 
bourhood, day  by  day  he  ministered,  and  then  when  cast 
down  sang, — 

"In  cares,  and  fears,  and  doubts, 
Which  oft  assail  my  mind, 
When  they  are  left  to  Thee,  O  Laid, 
The  best  relief  I  find." 


74 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


In  Cambridgeshire  he  came  to  Stilton  Barracks, 
wherein  were  confined  about  6,000  French  prisoners. 
He  spoke  to  them  in  his,  and  tlieir,  native  language,  and 
they  exclaimed,  "  Our  souls  are  full  of  gratitude  to  the 
Lord,  who  has  put  it  into  your  heart  thus  to  think  of  us 
and  feel  for  us."  French  prisoners  of  war  were  also 
addressed  by  him  in  other  parts  of  the  kingdom. 

As  Paul's  spirit  was  stirred  in  him  when  he  found 
himself  amid  the  idolatry  of  Athens,  so  was  Stephen 
Grellet's  in  London.  The  emotions  awakened  pre- 
pared him  for  his  great  mission  in  the  British  capital. 
He  records : 

"  I  soon  felt  the  heavy  gospel  bonds  awaiting  me  in 
this  metropohs  to  be  rapidly  fastening  upon  me.  The 
depth  of  exercise  into  which  I  was  introduced  on  ac- 
count of  the  various  classes  of  its  inhabitants  is  inde- 
scribable. Rich  and  poor,  but  especially  the  last, 
including  not  only  those  in  the  city  at  large  and  in  the 
various  poorhouses,  but  also  the  inmates  of  prisons  and 
places  where  many  are  confined  because  of  their  various 
crimes,  rested  heavily  upon  me.  Many  sleepless  nights 
I  passed,  as  the  objects  of  these  exercises  and  baptisms 
were  developed  to  my  view,  and  it  was  given  me  clearly 
to  see  that  I  must  stand  prepared  to  engage  in  whatever 
line  of  service  my  great  Lord  and  Master  was  pleased  to 
require  of  me.  For  such  a  purpose,  I  felt,  he  had 
raised  me  up  from  a  most  abject  state,  and  had  now 
sent  me  hei-e.  The  awful  consequences  that  would 
attend  me  should  I  be  unfaithful,  and  attempt,  like 
Jonah,  to  flee  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  were  in 
an  appalling  manner  set  before  me.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  gracious  promise  was  renewed,  that  if,  in  simplicity 
of  heart,  I  resigned  myself  to  the  Lord's  guidance  and 
requirings,  without  consulting  with  flesh  and  blood.  He 
would  be  with  me,  would  make  way  for  me  and  uphold 


r/KST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


75 


me.  Thus  I  was  enabled  again  to  oft'er  myself  and  my 
all  to  the  Lord  and  His  service,  not  in  this  great  city 
only,  but  also  to  go  on  the  European  continent,  or 
wheresoever  He  might  call  me  or  His  Spirit  might  lead 
me.  Great  peace  and  quietness  I  felt  after  this  full 
offering  was  made  ;  yet  the  weight  of  my  chain  was  not 
thereby  lessened,  or  the  cup  I  was  to  drink  rendered 
less  bitter ;  neither  was  my  concern  for  the  members  of 
our  own  Society  decreased  by  what  I  felt  for  the  people 
at  large." 

His  field  of  labour  in  London  was  in  every  circle.  He 
was  found  urging  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Quakers  to 
lead  lives  of  sympathy  with  Christ  and  men  ;  he  attended 
meetings  of  the  nobility  which  were  specially  called  for 
his  engagements ;  he  met  Jews  in  Devonshire  House, 
Houndsditch  ;  the  thieves,  pickpockets,  and  abandoned 
Avomen  were  gathered  into  the  Friends'  meeting-house 
in  St.  Martin's  Lane,  and  of  these  he  says  : 

"  My  mind  was  at  first  brought  under  great  dejection 
and  distress  on  beholding  before  me  so  many  fellow- 
beings,  of  both  sexes,  in  Avhose  countenances  so  much 
vice  and  depravity  were  depicted,  some  of  whom,  per- 
haps, had  never  been  in  a  meeting  for  worship,  and 
were  strangers  to  religious  sensibility.  They  Avere 
mostly  young  people.  I  wept  bitterly  over  them  ;  but 
the  love  of  Christ,  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost,  filled  my  soul  and  prepared  me,  not  only 
to  proclaim  against  sin  and  the  consequences  of  living 
and  dying  in  sin,  but  also  to  preach  Christ  the  Saviour 
of  sinners.  Oh,  it  Avas  a  solemn  time  indeed ;  the 
Lord's  poAver  Avas  over  us  ;  the  lofty  heads,  the  proud 
looks  Avere  brought  down.  I  have  seldom  knoAvn  such 
brokenness,  and  so  general,  as  it  Avas  that  evening.  The 
meeting  remained  in  the  same  state  during  the  silence 
after  I  had  sat  doAvn,  a  silence  only  interrupted  by  the 


75 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


sobbings  or  deep  sighs  of  some  of  them.  At  the  con- 
clusion, the  people  retired  in  the  same  quietness.  Oh, 
what  a  display  of  the  Lord's  power  and  mercy  !  Surely 
our  hearts  can  but  overflow  with  gratitude  to  Him,  our 
blessed  and  sure  Helper." 

Ah  !  this  preparation  of  the  preacher — the  "  soul 
greatly  moved  "  ;  the  "  weeping  bitterly  over "  these 
degraded  ones — this  was  the  fruit  of  his  oneness  witli 
the  Lord  in  sympathy  and  love,  and  helps  us  to  under- 
stand the  brokenness  of  heart  of  these  outcasts. 

To  set  forth  more  fully  this  ministry  of  mercy,  an 
extract  from  the  Journal  must  be  given. 

"The  chief  police  magistrate  in  London,  hearing  of 
that  meeting  through  some  of  our  Friends,  sent  me  word 
that  if  I  wished  to  see  that  class  of  people  more  gener- 
ally throughout  the  city,  he  would  take  measures  to  have 
them  all  collected,  when  opportunity  would  be  given  me 
to  have  meetings  with  them.  I  acknowledged  his  kind 
offer,  but  could  not  accept  it,  though  I  told  him  I  should 
be  obliged  by  his  giving  me  free  access  to  the  several 
prisons  in  London,  having  felt  much  drawn  towards  that 
class  of  poor,  wretched  humanity.  My  request  was 
readily  granted,  and  I  engaged  very  soon  in  the  trying 
service. 

"The  Compters  [since  abolished]  were  the  prisons  I 
visited  first;  there  is  one  in  each  district  of  the  metro- 
polis. They  are  places  to  which  the  offenders,  when 
taken  up  day  by  day,  are  committed,  and  from  which 
they  are  transferred  to  other  prisons  according  to  the 
nature  of  their  offences.  When  in  the  morning  I 
visited  these  prisons,  I  was  astonished  at  the  number  I 
found,  who  had  been  taken  up  during  the  preceding 
night.  I  had  some  very  striking  religious  opportunities 
with  them. 

After  that,  I  proceeded  with  a  visit  to  Newgate,  which 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN. 


77 


)  ccupied  some  days,  having  religious  services  in  the 
many  separate  apartments,  where  the  miserable  inmates 
are  confined.  Several  were  under  sentence  of  death. 
In  one  cell  there  were  four  together  who  were  to  be 
executed  the  ensuing  morning ;  one  of  these  particularly 
drew  forth  our  tender  feelings — my  dear  friend,  William 
Forster,  being  with  me.  His  wife,  with  two  children, 
came  to  see  him  for  the  last  time  when  we  were  there. 
One  of  the  children  was  a  boy,  about  eight  years  of  age. 
The  awfulness  of  the  sight  of  his  father  under  heavy  irons, 
with  the  other  prisoners,  his  emotion  from  knowing  that 
his  father  was  to  be  brought  to  the  gallows  the  next  day, 
together  with  the  gloominess  of  the  prison,  brought  the 
child  into  a  state  of  great  terror  and  distress.  P.  Bed- 
ford knew  the  grandparents  of  this  child,  poor  weavers, 
but  people  of  piety.  We  felt  it  our  place  to  visit  them 
the  day  after  the  execution  of  their  son.  We  were  much 
instructed  in  beholding  that,  in  their  very  deep  grief, 
they  were  sustained  by  the  comforts  of  the  Christian 
religion.  The  Lord  Jesus  was  their  refuge  and  strength 
under  their  great  and  sore  trouble.  They  produced  a 
letter  written  by  the  poor  prodigal  the  night  previous  to 
his  execution,  addressed  to  his  wife  and  to  his  parents. 
After  describing  his  heartfelt  repentance  for  his  crime, 
and  the  hope  that,  notwithstanding  his  great  unworthi- 
ness,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  mercy  on  the 
penitent  thief  on  the  cross,  would  condescend  to  be 
merciful  to  him,  he  most  earnestly  begged  his  aged 
parents  to  forgive  him  also.  He  described  his  evil  hfe 
as  being  the  consequence  of  his  disobedience  to  them, 
and  particularly  in  having  disregarded  the  due  obser- 
vance of  the  Sabbath,  so  contrary  to  their  parental  en- 
treaties. Having  begun  to  do  so  in  the  afternoon,  it 
had  led  him  into  evil  company,  and  step  by  step  he  had 
become  the  companion  of  thieves.    He  most  earnestly 


STF.riiEy  GRF.r.i.Er. 


entreated  liis  wife  to  guard  very  particularly  the  children 
from  such  dangerous  and  ungodly  practices,  and  to 
spend  the  afternoons  and  evenings  of  the  Sabbath  in 
attending  religious  meetings,  and  reading  the  Bible  and 
books  of  devotion.  We  found  in  the  boy  above  men- 
tioned so  much  sensibility  that  our  interest  in  him 
became  excited,  some  kind  friends  assisting  in  having 
him  sent  to  school. 

"  In  the  course  of  the  visit  through  Newgate  we  found 
many  boys  who,  decoyed  into  vice  by  thieves  and  pick- 
pockets, and  now  mixing  in  prison  with  older  and 
depraved  men,  were  likely  to  come  out  thence  far 
greater  adepts  in  crime.  We  felt  much  for  those  poor 
youths,  and  seeing  the  necessity  of  having  them  kept 
separate  from  other  criminals,  we  succeeded  in  inducing 
the  sheriff  and  magistrates  to  have  another  part  of  the 
prison  appropriated  to  them.  P.  Bedford  took  an  active 
interest  in  the  concern,  and  several  of  our  young  men 
Friends  enlisted  in  it,  with  great  advantage. 

"  The  visit  to  that  part  of  Newgate  which  is  occupied 
by  the  women  prisoners  had  very  nearly  been  frustrated. 
The  jailer  endeavoured  to  prevent  my  going  there, 
representing  them  as  so  unruly  and  desperate  that  they 
would  surely  do  me  some  mischief;  he  had  endeavoured 
in  vain  to  reduce  them  to  order,  and  said  he  could  not 
be  responsible  for  what  they  might  do  to  me,  concluding 
that  the  very  least  I  might  expect  was  to  have  my 
clotlies  torn  off.  I  felt  persuaded  that  He  who  called 
me  to  this  service  could  make  way  for  me  and  preserve 
me.  Very  earnest  was  my  prayer  to  have  undoubted 
evidence  that  this  was  a  service  that  the  Lord  required 
of  me,  feeling  that  my  having  visited  the  men  was  not 
a  reason  why  I  should  visit  the  women  also.  The  path 
of  duty  being  clear  before  me,  I  proceeded  to  the  prison. 
When  I  came  to  the  small  yard,  the  only  accommoda- 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  ORE  A  T  BRITALW  79 

tion  for  about  four  or  five  hundred  women,  I  found  there 
some  who  immediately  recognised  me  as  having  seen 
me  in  the  Compters,  and  who  appeared  much  pleased  at 
my  now  coming  here.  They  told  me  that  no  prepara- 
tion had  been  made  to  receive  me,  but  that  they  would 
immediately  do  what  they  could  towards  it.  Owing  to 
tlie  darkness  of  the  morning  the  prisoners  had  been 
unusually  late  in  getting  up,  and  many  of  them  had  not 
yet  risen.  They  occupied  two  long  rooms,  where  they 
slept  in  three  tiers,  some  on  the  floor,  and  two  tiers  of 
hammocks  over  one  another.  They  had  the  whole  soon 
rolled  up,  and  all  the  women  came  together  in  one 
room.  When  I  first  entered,  the  foulness  of  the  air  was 
almost  insupportable,  and  everything  that  is  base  and 
depraved  was  so  strongly  depicted  on  the  faces  of  the 
women  who  stood  crowded  before  me,  with  looks  of 
effrontery,  boldness,  and  wantonness  of  expression,  that, 
for  a  while,  my  soul  was  greatly  dismayed ;  surely  then 
did  I  witness  that  the  Lord  is  a  refuge  and  strength.  His 
truth  is  a  shield  and  a  buckler.  The  more  I  beheld  the 
awful  consequences  of  sin,  and  the  more  deeply  I  felt 
the  greatness  of  the  depravity  into  which  these  poor 
objects  had  been  plunged  by  the  devices  of  Satan,  the 
more  also  I  felt  the  love  of  Christ  who  has  come  to  save 
and  has  died  for  sinners.  As  I  began  to  speak,  under 
the  feeling  sense  of  this  redeeming  love  of  Christ,  their 
countenances  began  to  alter :  soon  they  hung  down  their 
heads  ;  their  haughtiness  and  proud  looks  were  brought 
low,  and  tears  in  abundance  were  seen  to  flow ;  great 
was  the  brokenness  of  heart  manifested  on  this  occasion. 
I  inquired  of  them  if  there  were  any  other  female 
prisoners  in  the  place,  and  was  told  that  several  sick 
ones  were  upstairs.  On  going  up,  I  was  astonished  be- 
yond description  at  the  mass  of  woe  and  misery  I 
beheld.    I  found  many  very  sick,  lying  on  the  bare  floor 


So 


STF.rnEIV  GRELLET. 


or  on  some  old  straw,  having  very  scanty  covering  over 
them,  though  it  was  quite  cold  ;  and  there  were  several 
children  born  in  the  prison  among  them,  almost  naked. 

"  On  leaving  that  abode  of  wretchedness  and  misery,  I 
went  to  Mildred's  Court,  to  my  much  valued  friend, 
Elizabeth  J.  Fry,  to  whom  I  described,  out  of  the  ful: 
ness  of  my  heart,  what  I  had  just  beheld,  stating  also 
that  something  must  be  done  immediately  for  those  poor 
suffering  children.  The  appeal,  to  such  a  pious  and 
sensible  mind  as  dear  Elizabeth  possesses,  was  not  in 
vain.  She  immediately  sent  for  several  pieces  of  flannel, 
and  had  speedily  collected  a  number  of  our  young 
women  Friends,  who  went  to  work  with  such  diligence, 
that  on  the  very  next  day  she  repaired  to  the  prison  with 
a  bundle  of  made-up  garments  for  the  naked  children. 
What  she  then  saw  of  the  wretchedness  of  that  prison 
induced  her  to  devise  some  plan  towards  the  ameliora- 
tion of  the  condition  of  those  poor  women,  and,  if  possible, 
the  reform  of  their  morals." 

It  is  very  interesting  to  find  that  Mrs.  Fry  received 
from  this  visit  the  incentive  to  her  efforts  on  behalf  of 
the  female  prisoners  of  Newgate,  and  to  a  service  in  this 
direction  never  surpassed  in  the  history  of  Christian 
benevolence,  and  almost  unparalleled  in  its  ameliorating 
and  saving  results.  It  is  recorded  that  for  many  years 
this  lady's  first  question,  on  awaking  in  the  morning,  was, 
"  What  shall  I  do  for  my  Lord  to-day  ?  "  It  is  also  to  be 
noted  that  few  among  Friends  have  been  more  eminent 
than  Mrs.  Fry's  brother,  Joseph  John  Gurney,  and  her 
sister,  Priscilla  Gurney,  who  with  her  dying  words  laid 
on  the  heart  of  Thomas  Fowell  Buxton  the  solemn  claim 
to  his  life  devotion  of  the  seven  hundred  thousand  slaves 
in  British  colonies.  The  parents  of  three  such  children 
did  much  by  their  training  to  serve  the  generation  that 
came  after  them.    The  labours  of  Mrs.  Fry  in  Newgate, 


FIRST  VISIT  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN.  8i 

the  impulse  to  which  she  received  from  Mr.  Grellet,  are 
now  historical.  The  sway  of  her  sympathetic  influence, 
aided  by  a  voice  whose  modulations  carried  the  force  of 
every  word  she  uttered,  and  whose  tender  tones  melted 
the  hardest  and  most  stubborn  hearts,  was  manifested 
when  the  Lord  Mayor  afterwards  conducted  into  that  same 
female  ward  the  King  of  Prussia,  and  when  the  monarch 
and  the  prisoners  alike  knelt  in  bowed  reverence,  as 
Mrs.  Fry  poured  forth  her  supplication  and  thanks- 
giving unto  God.  In  her  case,  as  in  that  of  Stephen 
Grellet,  we  have  the  evidence  how  the  Lord  of  love  and 
compassion  makes  His  self-less  servants  to  be  partakers 
of  His  own  nature  in  such  a  way  that  they  can  reveal 
His  yearning  pity  for  lost  sinners,  and  His  willingness 
to  deliver  from  Satan  and  from  sin.  How  weighty 
in  warning  and  encouragement  are  those  words  of 
Jehovah  respecting  the  prophets  of  Israel,  as  they  are 
indeed  true  respecting  servants  of  Christ  in  all  after 
times  :  "  If  they  had  stood  in  My  counsel,  and  had  caused 
Afy  people  to  hear  My  words,  then  they  should  have 
turned  them  from  their  evil  way,  and  from  the  evil  of 
their  doings" 

"The  world's  a  room  of  sickness  where  each  heart 
Knows  its  own  anguisli  and  unrest ! 
The  truest  wisdom  then,  and  noblest  art, 

Is  his  who  skills  of  comfort  best ; 
Whom  by  the  softest  step  and  gentlest  tone 

Enfeebled  spirits  own, 
And  love  to  raise  the  languid  eye, 
When  like  an  angel's  wing  they  feel  him  fleeting  by." 


G 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SECOXD  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 

MR.  SEEBOHM  has  justly  said  :  It  is  not  easy  to 
realize  the  condition  of  the  continent  of  Europe 
in  1813.  There  were  neither  railroads  nor  telegraph 
wires  ;  the  freedom  of  friendly  intercourse  between  the 
different  States  of  Europe  had  long  been  interrupted  ; 
superstition  and  infidelity,  vice  and  wickedness,  had 
spread  to  an  alarming  extent ;  religion  was  driven  into 
seclusion,  and  with  many  Christianity  had  become  little 
more  than  an  empty  name ;  international  feuds  and 
j  ealousies  had  rendered  the  system  of  police  and  passport 
regulations  exceedingly  annoying,  and  painfully  restrictive 
to  individual  liberty ;  travelling  was  difficult,  and  often 
dangerous.  Though  Napoleon  had  been  compelled  to 
retire  from  Russia,  the  French  war  was  still  raging  with 
unabated,  if  not  with  increased  fury,  and  great  excite- 
ment prevailed  abroad.  To  go  forth,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, and  alone,  "  as  an  ambassador  of  peace  to 
the  nations,  while  the  sword  bereaved  on  every  hand," 
was  no  small  trial  of  faith  and  of  faithfulness.  But 
Stephen  Grellet  knew  Him  in  whom  he  had  believed. 
He  had  counted  the  cost,  and  did  not  flinch  in  the  day 
of  trial ;  the  sacrifice  which  he  had  "  bound  to  the  horns 
of  the  altar"  was  not  withdrawn. 

The  attendance  at  another  Yearly  Meeting  of  Friends 
in  London,  previous  to  entering  upon  such  a  service,  was 
a  matter  of  peculiar  interest  to  him.  He  had  received 
the  full  sanction  of  his  brethren  in  America  to  his  pre- 


SECOND  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


83 


sent  undertaking  in  the  service  of  the  gospel  of  Christ ; 
but,  being  now  within  the  compass  of  another  Yearly 
Meeting  in  a  distant  land,  he  sought  its  unity  and  con- 
currence before  he  passed  beyond  its  limits  to  carry  out 
his  gospel  mission  in  some  parts  of  the  European  con- 
tinent. 

At  the  Yearly  Meeting  for  ministers  and  elders,  the 
17  th  of  May,  1 8 13,  he  informed  the  Friends  that  he 
apprehended  the  time  had  nearly  come  for  him  to  endea- 
vour to  pass  over  into  France,  if  practicable,  to  fulfil 
there,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  continent,  whatever  ser- 
vice the  Lord  might  call  for  at  his  hands.  A  great 
solemnity  prevailed  over  the  meeting  during  the  con- 
sideration and  deliberation  on  the  important  subject. 
Many  Friends  expressed  their  tender  sympathy  and  full 
unity,  believing  that  this  was  a  work  to  which  the  great 
Head  of  the  church,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  called  him 
in  the  service  of  His  gospel.  They  gave  him  a  written 
testimonial,  recommending  him  to  the  kind  and  Christian 
sympathy  and  regard  of  all  those  among  whom  he  might 
come. 

God  was  conducting  him  on  wider  services  than  those 
in  which  he  had  engaged.  He  himself  says  :  "  I  now 
endeavoured  to  find  out  some  way  whereby  I  miglit  pass 
over  to  France  ;  the  weight  of  the  work  the  Lord  has  laid 
upon  me  in  that  land  pressing  heavily.  Truly,  in  my 
measure,  I  can  say,  '  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized 
with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  ! ' 
O  Lord  !  enable  Thy  poor  servant  to  glorify  Thy  excel- 
lent name,  into  whatever  suffering,  or  even  death.  Thou 
mayest  see  meet  that  he  should  be  introduced. 

"  My  dear  friends  accompanied  me  to  Gosport  on 
board  the  Cartel  Brilla/if,  bound  for  Morlaix,  with 
forty-one  French  seamen  or  soldiers,  prisoners  of  war, 
discharged  because  of  their  incapacity  for  service  by  ill- 


84 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


health,  etc.    We  came  over  the  British  Channel  on  the 
1 8th,  but  on  entering  the  river  our  vessel  struck  violently 
on  a  rock  ;  the  general  outcry  on  board  was  that  the 
vessel  was  sinking.    I  endeavoured  to  have  my  mind 
centred  in  filial  and  reverent  submission  to  the  Lord's  will, 
should  He  order  that  instead  of  the  service  I  apprehended 
I  was  called  to,  I  should  lay  down  my  life  in  sight  of  the 
land  of  my  nativity.    I  was  favoured  to  feel  His  Divine 
presence  near,  and  an  assurance  that  His  omnipotence 
would  not  permit  the  loss  of  a  single  life  on  board  by 
this  event.    I  felt  deeply,  however,  for  my  fellow  pas- 
sengers ;  bitter  was  the  lamentation  of  many  of  them, 
who,  from  their  very  emaciated  condition,  did  not  appear 
to  have  many  days  to  live  :  '  What  ! '  they  cried  out, 
with  tears  trickling  down  their  furrowed  cheeks, '  after  so 
much  suffering,  so  many  narrow  escapes  in  the  war, 
must  we  now  perish  within  sight  of  beloved  France,  and 
not  be  allowed  quietly  to  go  and  die  there  ? '    By  the 
return  of  the  tide,  however,  the  vessel  got  off  the  rocks, 
and  the  next  day  we  were  favoured  to  land  safely  at 
Morlaix.    The  officers  of  police  proceeded  immediately 
to  a  very  strict  and  minute  examination  of  every  part  of 
my  baggage  and  clothing,  and  even  of  my  person  ;  the 
lining  of  my  garments,   the  inner   sole  of  my  shoes, 
everything  about  me  underwent  a  close  search,  to  see 
that  I  had  no  secreted  papers.    That  being  finished, 
they  inquired  the  object  for  which  I  came  to  France  ; 
they  perused  the  certificates  given  me  by  Friends  in 
America  and  London,  they  took  notes  of  the  whole  and 
sent  them  to  Paris,  with  my  passports,  and  told  me  I 
must  wait  for  an  answer  from  Paris.    O  Lord  !  I  am  in 
Thy  hands  ;  by  Thy  directions  and  the  putting  forth  of 
Thy  Spirit,  I  have  come  here  ;  in  submission  and  con- 
fidence I  wait  to  see  what  Thou  wilt  do  for  Thy  gTeat 
name ! 


SECOND  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


85 


"  I  now  endeavoured  to  see  if  my  blessed  Lord  and 
Master  had  not  some  service  for  me  to  accomplish  in  this 
place.    I  became  acquainted  with  an  old  man,  poor  in 
this  world,  but  who  appeared  to  be  uo  stranger  to  vital 
religion.    He  cannot  read,  but  he  evinces  that  the  law 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  written  in  his  heart,  and  that  his 
delight  is  to  meditate  thereon.    I  was  soon  also  intro- 
duced to  other  persons,  among  whom  I  found  spiritual- 
mindedness.    I  felt  the  more  grateful  on  meeting  with 
these,  and  other  pious  persons,  with  whom  I  had  some 
refreshing  and  instructive  religious  opportunities,  because 
it  was  then  the  time  when  the  Papists  celebrate  what 
they  call  '  the  Feast  of  God.'    Thousands  of  persons  had 
come  into  the  town  from  the  country  round,  and,  accom- 
panied by  their   priests,  walked  through  the  streets, 
carrying  their  crosses,  and  the  consecrated  wafer,  before 
which  they  threw  flowers  and  leaves,  and  burned  abun- 
dance of  incense.    My  soul  was  grieved  at  beholding 
such  a  display  of  ignorance  and  idolatry.    That  evening 
a  considerable  number  of  persons  having  come  to  my 
inn,  the  excitement  of  the  day  prompted  them  to  ascer- 
tain my  views  respecting  the  display  that  had  taken  place. 
This  opened  the  way  for  unfolding  to  them  the  great 
truths  of  Christianity,  contrasting  them  with  the  page- 
antry they  had  seen  displayed  that  day. 

"Having  felt  my  mind  drawn  towards  my  fellow 
passengers  from  England,  who  had  gone  to  the  hospital 
on  their  arrival  here,  I  went  to  visit  them,  accompanied 
by  a  pious  person,  a  friend  of  the  Superior  of  the  sisters 
who  have  the  care  of  the  hospital.  I  found  that  several 
of  the  men  had  died  shortly  after  they  had  landed ; 
others  were  very  ill ;  and  some  appeared  to  manifest 
tenderness  of  spirit  and  gratitude  for  their  escape  from  a 
watery  grave.  Several  of  the  nuns  having  gathered  to- 
gether, with  their  Superior,  gave  me  an  opportunity  for 


86 


STF.rHRN  GRELLET. 


serious  communications  on  things  pertaining  to  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom  and  vital  Christianity.  Some  of 
their  minds  were  tender.  I  was  with  them  nearly  two 
hours,  unfolding  Christian  doctrines. 

"  Finding  that  there  were  many  English  prisoners  in 
the  place,  chiefly  taken  from  merchants'  vessels,  leave 
being  given,  they  were  collected  together,  none  going  in 
with  me  but  the  sworn  interpreter  and  his  son,  to  be 
witnesses  on  behalf  of  the  police  of  what  I  should  say 
among  them.  I  found  there  some  piously  minded  per- 
sons ;  the  Lord's  presence  and  power  were  near ;  afflic- 
tion, being  shut  up  in  prison,  heavy  losses  of  property, 
etc.,  had  tended  to  prepare  their  hearts  to  receive  the 
consolations  that  the  religion  of  Christ  offers  and  gives 
to  such  as  believe  in  it.  Many  of  them  expressed  their 
gratitude  to  the  Lord  for  this  visit  of  love  and  consola- 
tion to  them." 

This  passage  is  quoted  as  a  specimen  of  the  journey 
he  made  through  his  native  land.  Everywhere  was  he 
harassed  by  suspicions  and  police  restrictions  ;  but 
everywhere  he  found  or  made  opportunities  for  comfort- 
ing the  sorrowful  and  speaking  of  the  things  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  And  it  will  have  been  seen  that  no 
distinction  of  creed  turned  him  aside  from  this  ministry 
of  mercy.  He  was  no  bigoted  Protestant,  however  grieved 
he  might  be  with  the  superstitions  of  Romanism.  He 
knew  well  that  devout,  aspiring,  and  even  saintly  per- 
sons might  be  found  in  the  bosom  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church. 

There  is  something  profoundly  affecting  in  the  spec- 
tacle of  a  lonely  Christian  man  penetrating  France  in  this 
manner  at  such  a  terrible  time  of  bloodshed  and  desola- 
tion. In  every  place  where  he  tarried  he  found  some 
hidden  disciple  of  Christ  to  encourage,  and  some  mourners 
because  of  war  to  comfort.    He  speaks  of  meeting  on 


.SECOXn  VISIT  TO  ErROPE. 


87 


his  way  to  Paris  "companies  of  poor  youths,  thirty 
to  sixty,  fastened  two  and  two  to  a  long  chain,  and 
marched  off  to  the  army.  They  were  such  as  had  mani- 
fested reluctance  to  go  there."  He  tells  us  of  Toulouse 
— "it  was  but  a  few  days  since,  that,  after  a  battle 
between  the  English  and  French  armies,  such  a  num- 
ber of  wounded  soldiers  were  brought  in,  that  the  streets 
were  strewed  with  them,  till  places  to  remove  them 
to  were  prepared ;  and  so  numerous  were  the  amputa- 
tions that,  in  several  parts  of  the  city,  piles  of  legs  and 
arms,  like  heaps  of  wood,  were  to  be  seen  !  " 

He  tarried  in  cities  and  villages  where  these  fearful 
things  were  occurring.  No  newspaper  could  report  these 
services  ;  no  love  of  notoriety  or  personal  fame  could 
have  prompted  them.  It  was  only  into  private  circles 
he  could  enter.  The  right  of  assembly,  for  any  pur- 
pose, haunted  like  a  spectre  the  ambitious  and  omni- 
present militarism  of  the  time.  His  service  was  -  like 
the  solitude  of  the  Divine  love  in  its  patient  minister- 
ing. He  interpreted  indeed  this  love  of  the  pitying 
Father  as  he  went  from  place  to  place,  seeking  to  miti- 
gate the  horrors  of  that  awful  time,  and  to  keep  alive  the 
trembling  hope  of  piety  in  crushed  hearts.  No  wonder 
however  he  should  exclaim  :  "  If  the  dead  rise  not,  says 
the  apostle,  why  are  we  baptized  for  the  dead  ?  So 
may  not  some  of  us  say,  if  there  is  no  hope  to  see 
the  end  of  these  scenes  of  human  misery,  anguish,  and 
distress,  why  are  we  brought  into  the  wrestling  state? 
why  do  we  tread  the  agonizing  path  ?  O  Lord,  hasten 
the  time  when  men  shall  learn  righteousness  !  I  must 
however  say  that  He  who  was  with  His  servants  in  their 
various  and  fiery  trials  in  ancient  days  is  with  me  in  this 
land,  as  He  has  been  in  my  former  pilgrimages.  He 
very  graciously  makes  good  His  promise,  '  I  will  never 
leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.'    He  keeps  my  mind,  in  a 


8S 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


good  degree,  stayed  upon  Him,  so  that  tliough  the  sea 
roar  and  dash  its  waves,  His  everlasting  arm  is  near. 
Most  abundantly  I  can,  as  I  ought  to,  sing  His  praise, 
and  proclaim  His  wondrous  doings." 

Oh,  take  heart,  ye  suffering  servants  of  God  in  these 
later  days  !  He  is  near  who  would  comfort  you.  He 
bids  you  "  beware  of  men,"  and  still  serve  men.  Amidst 
oppositions  and  fierce  trials  you  are  not  forgotten  of 
Him.  Your  efforts,  your  sighs,  your  heart  failings,  are 
known  to  Him.  In  a  world  that  is  still  ruled  by 
the  powers  of  darkness,  and  full  of  human  selfishnesses 
and  ambitions,  how  can  ye  be  understood  ?  how  can 
ye  have  your  full  consolation  here  ?  Rejoice  rather 
that  ye  thus  by  your  testimony  and  your  patience  are 
learning  "  the  fellowship  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ," 
and  are  permitted  to  be  in  sympathy  with  Him. 

As  Stephen  Grellet  proceeds  on  this  service,  no 
doubt,  in  France  his  rank  makes  a  way  for  him,  but  it 
is  his  reputation  for  piety  that  has  gone  before  him. 
In  Paris  he  has  useful  intercourse  with  suffering  pastors 
of  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches ;  has  interest- 
ing conferences  with  Roman  Catholics  to  whom  the 
troubles  of  the  times  had  brought  a  spiritual  awaken- 
ing ;  visits  Protestant  schools ;  is  visited  for  guidance 
by  many,  and  among  them  a  Jewess,  the  wife  of  a  man 
of  great  wealth,  to  whom  he  opens  the  Scripture  testi- 
mony concerning  Jesus ;  every  day  he  circulates  re- 
ligious books  which  could  not  otherwise  be  obtained. 
At  Limoges  he  spends  some  days  among  his  relatives 
and  has  "along  and  satisfactory  opportunity  with  them." 
At  Brives  he  is  again  with  his  mother,  confirming  her  and 
the  pious  nuns  of  the  convent,  in  their  new  life  of 
trust  and  love;  at  Rodez  he  has  the  joy  of  religious 
meetings  with  his  two  brothers,  his  uncle  and  cousins, 
and  he  finds  "  the  Truth  has  never  been  more  endeared 


SECOlVD  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


89 


to  them " ;  at  INIontpcllier  he  is  entertained  in  the 
hospitable  home  of  his  friend,  Louis  Majolier,  and  in 
private  meetings  is  able  to  point  families  under  heavy 
affliction,  on  account  of  the  death  of  their  sons  in  the 
war,  to  the  abiding  source  of  rest ;  at  St.  Hypolite  he 
is  treated  with  the  utmost  courtesy  by  the  commissary 
of  police,  who  was  so  rude  to  him  on  his  former  visit, 
and  the  commissary  prepares  a  spacious  building  into 
which  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics  crowd,  to 
whom  he  preaches  "  the  glorious  gospel  of  life  and 
salvation."  At  Nismes,  whither  he  has  proceeded  on  foot, 
he  is  soon  surrounded  by  about  eighty  persons,  chiefly 
Moravians,  and  as  he  is  speaking  of  "  the  great  love  of 
God  to  us  through  our  blessed  Redeemer,"  officers  of 
the  gendarmerie  with  some  soldiers  enter  and  take  their 
seats  ;  but  they,  with  the  rest,  are  constrained  to  "  bend 
their  knees  with  tears  and  prayers  to  the  Lord  God  and 
to  the  Lamb."  They  had  come  to  apprehend  him,  had 
been  seeking  him  for  several  days,  but  report  to  the 
prefect  that  they  had  never  heard  any  one  speak  in  such 
a  manner  before. 

Nor  was  it  from  the  police  only  he  found  opposition. 
He  was  speaking  once  of  "  Jesus  Christ  in  us,  the 
hope  of  glory,"  the  minister  of  the  sanctuary,  our  only 
Saviour,  through  whom  alone  forgiveness  of  sin  can  be 
obtained,  when  two  of  their  priests  came  in.  "  One  was 
the  Grand  Vicar  of  the  Bishop,  and  seeing  that  I  was  not 
a  Papist,  he  soon  began  to  proclaim  damnation  upon  me, 
and  upon  all  those  who  are  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Romish 
church,  where  only,  said  he,  by  confession  and  the  pro- 
nouncing of  absolution,  sin  could  be  remitted ;  repent- 
ance and  contrition  because  of  our  sins,  he  added,  were 
not  necessary— attrition  alone,  with  the  priest's  absolu- 
tion, sufficed  ;  forms  of  prayer,  uttered  with  the  lip, 
though  in  language  not  understood  or  in  which  the 


90 


STEriTF.N'  GRRLLET. 


heart  was  not,  were  nevertheless  prayers  acceptable  to 
God ;  so  was  also  the  prostration  of  the  body  before 
their  altars  and  the  images  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  saints, 
etc.,  though  the  heart  might  be  lifted  up  in  pride  or 
vanity ;  he  said,  though  a  priest  were  ever  so  vicious  in 
his  life  and  conversation,  yet  in  virtue  of  his  office, 
having  received  at  his  ordination  the  keys  of  heaven,  he 
had  power  to  retain  or  forgive  sin  at  his  pleasure,  and 
whatever  he  says,  in  his  priestly  capacity,  ought  to  be 
received  and  believed  as  the  word  of  Christ,  whom  he 
represents.  The  poor  man  went  on  to  utter  so  many 
absurdities  that  the  nuns  seemed  to  be  astonished  at 
him.  I  found  it  in  vain  to  say  much  to  him,  for,  on  my 
attempting  to  do  so,  he  gave  way  to  such  passion  as 
seemed  to  me  would  only  lead  him  to  add  sin  to  sin. 
However  absurd  were  these  assertions,  I  have  heard 
many  others  advancing  the  same.  I  have  frequently 
heard  virtuous  and  pious  females  state  what  a  great  trial 
it  was  to  them  to  have  to  believe  that  it  was  their  in- 
dispensable duty  to  confess,  and  still  more  so  when 
they  know  that  the  priest  to  whom  they  go  is  a  vicious 
and  immoral  man.  It  is  no  wonder  that  so  many  indi- 
viduals should  become  infidels,  as  is  the  case  in  many 
parts  of  the  Pope's  dominions.  One  of  these  blind 
guides  told  me,  '  that  though  a  man  should  so  fully  love 
God  and  his  neighbour  as  to  be  able  to  act  according 
to  whatever  the  gospel  of  Christ  requires,  yet  if  he  did 
not  go  to  confess,  he  would  be  lost  for  ever.'  " 

After  this  we  find  him  ministering  at  Marseilles,  then 
mourning  over  the  levity  and  superstition  of  Nice,  and 
now  finding  refreshment  to  himself  in  "  beautiful " 
Mentone  and  the  summer  air  "  tempered  by  the  cool 
breezes "  which  descended  from  the  Maritime  Alps. 
Thence  he  proceeds  to  Genoa,  where  he  has  "  precious  " 
meetings  of  from  fifty  to  sixty  persons,  composed  of 


SF.COND  VISIT  TO  F.UROPE. 


91 


Roman  Catholics  and  Waldenses  from  the  valleys  of 
Piedmont. 

In  Genoa  a  singular  preservation  was  vouchsafed  to 
him.     It  was  in  his  heart  to  go  to  the  ancient  and 
modern  capital  of  Italy,  and  he  narrates  :  "  Finding  that 
it  would  be  impracticable  to  go  by  land  to  Rome,  on 
account  of  the  numerous  bands  of  robbers  that  attacked 
travellers,  even  when  escorted  by  large  companies  of 
soldiers,  I  concluded  to  try  to  go  there  by  sea,  by  way  of 
Leghorn.    As  I  was  going  to  engage  my  passage  for  that 
port,  my  mind  was  introduced  into  unutterable  distress 
— gross  darkness  seemed  to  be  before  me,  whilst  a  bright 
stream  of  light  was  behind  ;  I  stood  still  for  a  while,  and 
found  I  could  not  go  forward.    I  returned  to  my  lodg- 
ings, and  in  my  chamber  poured  forth  my  soul  unto  the 
Lord,  entreating  Him  to  direct  me  aright.    He  knew  it 
was  in  obedience  to  Llis  Divine  will  that  I  had  come  to 
these  nation^  and  that  to  His  Divine  guidance  and 
almighty  protection  I  had  wholly  committed  myself  and 
my  all.    He  very  graciously  condescended  to  be  near  to 
me  in  my  distress,  and  to  hear  the  voice  of  my  supplica- 
tion.   He  gave  me  to  see,  and  strongly  to  feel,  that  to 
Rome  and  Naples  I  should  indeed  go,  but  that  the  time 
for  it  had  not  yet  come,  and  the  language  of  the  Spirit 
was  to  proceed  with  all  speed  to  Geneva  and  Switzerland. 
My  soul  was  greatly  humbled  before  the  Lord,  who  thus 
condescended  to  instruct  His  poor  servant,  and  to  direct 
him  in  the  way  which  He  would  have  him  to  go.  I 
remembered  before  I  left  America,  when,  dismayed  on 
contemplating  the  extent  and  magnitude  of  the  Lord's 
work  to  which  I  was  called,  the  gracious  promise  came, 
— '  I  will  teach  thee  and  instruct  thee  in  the  way  in 
which  thou  goest,  I  will  guide  thee  with  Mine  eye.' " 

He  afterwards  learnt  that  the  armies  of  Napoleon  were 
in  full  flight  to  France  after  their  defeats  by  the  Germans, 


92 


STErnEN  GRELLE7. 


and  were  closely  pursued  by  the  Austrians  ;  the  army  of 
the  King  of  Naples,  also  in  full  retreat  to  the  south,  would 
have  shut  him  up  in  Italy,  had  he  not  made  his  way  to 
Switzerland,  and  that  he  would  moreover  have  been  in 
peril  from  orders  sent  from  Paris  to  Nismes  to  follow  and 
arrest  him.  Well  might  he  exclaim  :  "  Thus  have  I  been 
delivered  from  twofold  dangers, — from  being  carried  to 
Paris  as  a  prisoner  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  or  shut  up 
in  some  corner  of  Italy.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ! 
trust  for  ever  in  the  guidance  of  His  Divine  Spirit,  who 
alone  can  and  ought  to  direct  thy  steps,  and  all  thy 
movements,  especially  in  the  service  of  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel  to  which  He  has  called  thee." 

By  way  of  Turin  he  passed  to  Geneva.  The  city  of 
Calvin  had  been  brought  under  the  influence  of  rational- 
ism and  Socinianism.  Fifteen  pastors  and  three  pro- 
fessors of  theology  held  a  meeting  with  him.  He  speaks 
of  it  as  "  a  great  cross,  being  sensible  of  his  want  of  quali- 
fication." There  are  however  evidences  that  this  and 
other  interviews  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression. 
His  calm  and  firm  appeals  to  Scripture  proof  of  the  glory 
of  the  Redeemer  were  among  the  influences  that  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  evangelical  revival  which  shortly 
afterwards  visited  Geneva. 

After  meetings  of  a  like  nature  with  other  Swiss  pastors 
he  entered  Bavaria.  There  the  Spirit  had  been  moving 
on  the  hearts  of  men.  A  remarkable  religious  awakening 
had  taken  place ;  besides  many  private  persons,  nearly 
orty  Roman  Catholic  priests,  spite  of  heavy  persecutions, 
had  borne  faithful  witness  to  scriptural  teaching;  among 
them  were  Lindel,  Gossner,  and  Martin  Boos.*  The 


*  The  conversion  of  Martin  Boos  is  so  striking  as  to  demand  this 
footnote.  In  1789  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic.  In  the  discharge  of 
his  office  as  a  priest,  he  went  to  visit  a  woman  distinguished  by  her 
humility  and  piety,  who  was  dangerously  ill.    "  I  do  not  doubt," 


SECO.VD  VISIT  10  EUROPE. 


93 


visit  of  Stephen  Grellet  became  to  large  numbers  of 
inquiring  persons  in  the  CathoUc  church  one  of  great 
encouragement  and  confirmation.  His  "vivacity"  and 
"solidity,"  of  which  Dr.  Steinkopff  bore  witness,  pre- 
eminently fitted  him  for  such  a  service.  He  also  ar- 
ranged with  Gossner  to  put  into  circulation  an  edition  of 
six  thousand  copies  of  the  Scriptures.  In  Munich  he  is 
still  following  in  the  wake  of  the  Spirit's  operations. 


said  he,  endeavoui  ing  to  prepare  her  for  death,  "  that  you  die  calmly 
and  happily."  "And  why  ?"  said  the  woman.  "Because,"  re- 
plied he,  "your  life  has  been  a  continued  chain  of  good  actions." 
The  woman  smiled  and  said  :  "  If  I  were  to  die  relying  for  my 
salvation  on  the  works  which  you  mention,  I  am  certain  that  I 
should  be  condemned  ;  but  that  which  makes  me  calm  at  this 
awful  moment  is  that  I  rely  on  Jesus  Christ  my  Saviour."  "  Those 
few  words,"  says  Boos,  "in  the  mouth  of  a  dying  woman,  who  was 
looked  upon  as  a  saint,  ojjened  my  eyes  for  the  first  time.  I  under- 
stood the  meaning  of  Christ  for  its;  like  Abraham,  I  saii)  His  day. 
From  that  time  I  announced  to  others  that  Saviour  whom  I  had 
learned  to  know,  and  there  were  many  who  rejoiced  with  me." 
Thus  did  this  woman,  whom  he  wished  to  prepare  for  death,  pre- 
pare him  for  life  eternal.  The  impressions  which  he  had  received 
were  never  effaced.  He  put  in  practice  the  lessons  he  had  been 
taught,  and  zealously  preached  the  doctrines  for  which  he  had 
afterwards  so  severely  to  suffer.  His  labours  began  to  be  blessed 
in  an  extraordinary  manner.  He  felt  deeply  his  own  insufficiency, 
and  sought,  in  continual  prayer  to  God  and  the  assiduous  perusal 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  assistance  which  he  needed.  He 
generally  felt  his  own  sinfulness  and  insufficiency  most  deeply  when 
he  was  about  to  deliver  a  discourse  intended  to  affect  the  consciences 
of  others.  On  these  occasions  he  would  often  forget  the  sermon 
which  he  had  studiously  composed  and  committed  to  memory,  and 
would  acknowledge  with  tears  to  his  hearers  that  he  had  nothing 
to  say  to  them  ;  but  he  would  feel  himself  led  on,  by  the  contempla- 
tion of  their  wants  and  his  own  insufficiency,  to  urge  upon  them  that 
which  the  Holy  .Spirit  gave  him  at  that  moment  for  their  edifica- 
tion. .Several  discourses,  uttered  thus  from  the  abundance  of  his 
heart,  were  the  instruments  of  a  religious  awakening  which  took 
place  at  that  time  at  Gallneukirchen. 

After  a  long  life  of  much  usefulness,  when  he  felt  the  end  drawing 
near,  he  said  to  a  friend  that  he  was  dying  in  that  faith  for  whiclr 
he  had  suffered  ;  and  to  another  he  wrote,  "  Even  now  I  feel  that 
none  shall  see  the  Lord  without  having  washed  his  robes  in  the 
blood  of  the  I.ainb."  See  "  Life  and  Persecutions  of  Martin  Boos, 
edited  by  J.  Gossner  ;  "  translated  from  the  German, 


94 


S  TEPIIEN  CRELLE  T. 


There  he  had  audiences  with  the  Crown  Prince  and  the 
King.  Of  the  last  interview  he  writes  :  "  The  King 
wished  to  know  the  result  of  my  observations  in  the 
visits  I  had  made  to  the  prisons.  Having  answered  his 
inquiries,  my  way  was  open  for  introducing  the  subject 
of  liberty  of  conscience,  and  the  sufferings  that  had  been 
inflicted  on  several  of  his  subjects  on  that  account.  He 
tlirew  the  blame  on  the  Pope,  his  nuncio,  and  the  bishops. 
'  They  are  continually  teasing  me  on  that  account,'  said 
he.  This  very  interesting  topic  led  me  to  make  some 
remarks  of  a  religious  character,  under  which  the  King's 
mind  appeared  to  be  impressed  ;  and  at  last,  when  I  was 
about  to  withdraw,  he  put  his  arms  round  my  neck,  and 
bade  me  farewell.  We  had  been  together  above  an  hour. 

"  The  Prince  was  delighted  at  my  account  of  the 
reception  the  King,  his  father,  had  given  me.  I  do 
hope  that  the  powerful  convictions  that  he  has  received, 
and  the  impressions  that,  through  the  love  of  Christ, 
have  been  made  upon  him,  will  prove  lasting." 

Pursuing  the  same  track,  of  the  Spirit's  visitations, 
we  find  him  next  in  Ratisbon,  where,  among  other  evi- 
dences of  this  grace,  he  records  ; 

"  I   found  in    the  Count  Westerwood  and  family 

genuine  piety  ;  also  in  the  Princess   .     She  has 

surrounded  herself  with  those  who,  like  her,  love  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Thus,  amidst  the  thick  clouds  of  darkness 
that  hang  over  the  nations,  and  the  tumult  of  war, 
there  are  here  and  there  those  who  know  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  be  their  sanctuary.  My  spirit  was  refreshed 
in  a  meeting  with  a  company  of  these  pious  persons." 

Three  weeks  were  thus  spent  among  those  who,  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  church,  were  confessing  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Reformation.  His  unflinching  testimony 
against  the  corruptions  of  Rome,  and  his  powerful 
advocacy  among  princes  for  liberty  of  conscience,  were 


SECOXD  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


95 


most  valuable  at  this  crisis.  Thence  he  passed  to 
Frankfort,  Neuwied,  Cologne,  Elberfeld,  Pyrmont,  and 
Bremen.  His  labours  in  these  places  were  incessant. 
The  full  horrors  of  war  were  at  this  time  falling  upon 
this  part  of  Germany.  AVagons  were  met,  with  the 
blood  of  wounded  soldiers  flowing  from  them ;  the 
roads  were  strewed  with  the  dead  or  dying;  disease 
and  famine  were  on  every  hand.  With  a  heavy  heart 
he  gathered,  wherever  possible,  small  companies  for 
religious  fellowship.  Desolation  and  misery  were  over 
the  land,  and  strongly  marked  became  the  division  be- 
tween those  who  gave  themselves  up  to  a  wild  licence 
of  revelry  and  drunkenness,  and  those  who,  in  their 
anguish  and  consternation,  sought  unto  the  Lord.  To 
the  latter  he  was  a  most  welcomed  minister  of  guid- 
ance and  consolation. 

A  pleasant  contrast  is  presented,  in  his  Journal,  by 
the  condition  of  the  Swedish  army  who  were  passing 
to  join  the  Allied  forces. 

"  Whilst  I  was  in  these  parts,  several  bodies  of  the 
Swedish  army  passed  through.  Their  sobriety  and 
good  behaviour  are  very  becoming.  Such  quietness 
prevailed  in  the  evenings  and  through  the  night,  that 
a  stranger  arriving  there  could  not  have  discovered 
that  he  was  in  the  midst  of  so  many  soldiers.  They 
all  retired  early  in  the  evening  to  the  several  quarters 
assigned  them,  and  previous  to  their  lying  down  the 
subaltern  attending  each  small  company  offered  up  a 
short  prayer,  in  which  the  others  joined.  I  had  several 
opportunities  of  hearing  them.  They  gave  thanks  to 
God  for  the  preservation  they  had  witnessed  during 
the  day,  and  interceded  for  the  continuation  of  the 
same  day  by  day, — then  entreated  the  Lord  for  His 
blessing  of  preservation  to  their  families  and  near 
relatives  in  their  absence.    In  the  morning,  when  ready 


96 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


for  their  departure,  they  were  all  marched  in  a  body 
before  the  door  of  the  house  where  their  commanding 
officer  had  lodged,  and  he,  with  a  loud  voice,  read  to 
them  a  small  portion  of  the  Scriptures,  and  then  offered 
up  a  short  prayer.  I  have  not  heard  of  the  like 
practice  in  any  of  the  armies  of  the  several  nations 
now  confederate  together." 

The  preservation  he  experienced  at  this  time,  especi- 
ally from  the  hordes  of  the  Cossacks,  and  the  predatory 
bandits  who  were  scouring  the  land,  awakened  his 
fervent  gratitude. 

"  Feeling  my  mind  released  from  the  great  weight  of 
exercise  under  which  I  have  been  for  the  people  on  the 
continent,  my  soul  has  been  prostrated  very  reverently 
before  the  Lord,  who  has  been  my  saving  help  and 
strength  day  by  day,  night  after  night ;  the  everlasting 
arms  have  been  underneath  to  uphold  and  preserve  me. 
During  this  winter  I  have  been  more  than  forty  nights 
on  the  road,  many  times  amidst  robbers  and  murderers. 
I  have  repeatedly  been  where  contagious  diseases, 
through  war,  prevailed  to  a  high  degree,  so  that  the 
mortality  was  great ;  often  also  I  have  made  but  one 
scanty  meal  a  day;  but  amidst  all  these  things  the 
Lord  has  borne  me  up,  and  delivered  me, — yea,  ren- 
dered hard  things  easy.  My  health  is  now  as  good, 
or  better,  than  when  I  landed  in  France  more  than 
nine  months  ago.  And,  above  all,  the  Lord,  my  great 
and  blessed  Master,  who  called  me  to  this  service  in 
these  nations,  has  opened  a  way  for  me  to  find  and 
visit  a  portion  of  His  seed,  and  to  proclaim  the  glad 
tidings  of  His  salvation  to  thousands  of  the  people, 
both  rich  and  poor.  O  Lord !  bless  Thou  those  pious 
ones  whom  Thou  hast  enabled  me  to  visit  !  Oh,  bless 
the  work  of  Thy  hands  everywhere  !  " 

Numerous  letters  followed  him  from  Gossner,  Vernet, 


SECOMD   VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


97 


Gcssner,  Hess,  and  other  devoted  persons,  among  whom 
were  men  of  rank  occupying  high  official  positions. 
They  testified  to  the  value  of  his  mission  at  that  trou- 
blous time. 

Again  in  England,  Stephen  Grellet  found  refreshment 
in  the  religious  circles  of  the  metropolis.  The  royal 
heads  of  the  Allied  army  were  now  in  London.  A  com- 
mittee of  Friends  was  formed  to  draw  up  an  address  on 
behalf  of  the  sufferers  from  the  war ;  and  which  urged, 
after  the  "  Peace  of  Paris,"  that  the  gospel  of  Christ 
demanded  a  spirit  of  peace  in  the  future  government 
of  Europe.  The  King  of  Prussia  was  the  first  to  whom 
Stephen  Grellet,  accompanied  by  William  Allen,  had 
access. 

"  The  attention  of  the  King  having  been  directed  to 
the  great  misery,  vice,  and  destruction  of  human  life 
attending  war,  contrary  as  it  is  to  Christianity,  he  inti- 
mated his  strong  desire  that  the  love  and  the  peaceable 
spirit  which  the  gospel  of  Christ  inspires  might  pervade 
the  whole  world,  and  lamented  the  sufferings  that  have 
attended  the  last  few  years.  We  presented  him  also 
with  a  number  of  our  books,  for  which  he  thanked  us, 
and  placed  them,  together  with  the  address,  under  the 
care  of  his  ambassador  to  this  nation,  who  accom- 
panied him." 

The  interview  with  the  Emperor  Alexander  of  Russia 
calls  for  a  longer  notice. 

"  We  could  not  find  an  opportunity  to  be  with  the 
Emperor  Alexander  till  the  21st  of  this  month,  though 
we  were  informed  that  he  had  heard  of  our  intention, 
and  desired  to  receive  us  as  early  as  he  could. 
Dear  William  Allen  and  another  Friend  went  with 
me  to  the  Pulteney  Hotel,  at  the  time  appointed  by 
the  Emperor.  He  came  to  meet  us  at  the  door  of  his 
apartment,  took  us  by  the  hand  in  a  kind  manner, 

II 


98  STErUEN  GRELLET. 

and  said  that  for  a  length  of  time  he  had  wished 
for  an  opportunity  to  be  with  us.  Through  the 
Empress,  who  was  at  Baden  when  I  was  at  Carlsruhe 
last  winter,  he  said  that  he  had  heard  of  me  and  of 
my  visit  there.  Then  he  inquired  into  several  of  our 
religious  testimonies,  principles  and  practices,  to  which 
dear  William  Allen  answered  in  English,  which  lan- 
guage the  Emperor  speaks  well.  Whilst  William  was 
engaged  in  stating  the  nature  of  our  Christian  princi- 
ples, the  Emperor  said  several  times,  '  These  are  my 
own  sentiments  also.'  He  was  very  particular  in  his 
inquiries  respecting  our  views  and  practices  in  connec- 
tion with  Divine  worship,  the  ministry,  the  influence 
of  the  Divine  Spirit,  etc.  He  made  several  very  perti- 
nent remarks  on  these  various  subjects,  particularly  on 
prayer ;  respecting  worship,  he  said  that  God,  who 
knoweth  our  hearts,  cannot  be  pleased  with  nor  .be 
acceptably  worshipped  by  the  observance  of  outward 
forms  and  ceremonies,  or  the  repetition  of  words  which 
the  wicked  and  the  hypocrite  could  use,  though  con- 
tinuing in  their  sinful  practices  ;  but  that  a  worship 
in  spirit  and  in  truth  is  the  most  acceptable  to  God, 
who  is  a  Spirit,  and  that  before  Him  our  own  spirit 
must  be  reverently  prostrated.  Respecting  prayer  he 
said,  '  I  pray  every  day,  not  in  a  form  of  words,  but 
as  the  Lord,  by  His  Spirit,  convincing  me  of  my  wants, 
enables  me  to  do.'  We  entered  fully  on  the  subject 
of  our  testimony  against  war,  to  which  he  fully  assented. 
He  made  several  other  inquiries  of  a  religious  character, 
which  having  been  answered,  silence  ensued,  after 
which,  feeling  my  heart  warmed  by  the  love  of  Christ 
towards  him,  and  under  a  sense  also  of  the  pecuHar 
temptations  and  trials  to  which  his  exalted  station  in 
the  world  subjected  him,  I  addressed  a  few  words  to 
him  ;  his  heart  appeared  sensibly  and  tenderly  affected  ; 


SECO.VD  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


99 


with  tears,  he  took  hold  of  my  hand,  which  he  held 
silently  for  a  while,  and  then  said,  '  These  your  words 
are  a  sweet  cordial  to  my  soul  ;  they  will  long  remain 
engraven  on  my  heart.'  We  furnished  him  with  a 
number  of  Friends'  books,  which  he  received  with 
pleasure ;  and  on  our  taking  leave  of  him,  having  been 
together  upwards  of  an  hour,  he  took  each  of  us  by  the 
hand  and  said  :  '  I  part  from  you  as  from  friends  and 
brethren ;  feelings  which  I  hope  will  ever  remain  with 
me.' 

"After  we  had  left,  the  Grand  Duchess,  his  sister, 
sent  a  request  to  us  to  furnish  her  with  books  like  tliose 
we  had  presented  to  the  Emperor,  which  was  cheerfully 
complied  with.  Here  I  may  say  that  the  Emperor  and 
his  sister,  accompanied  by  Count  Lieven,  his  ambassa- 
dor, came  to  one  of  our  meetings  at  Westminster 
meeting-house ;  William  Allen,  who  knew  of  their 
intention  through  the  ambassador,  accompanied  them. 
It  proved  a  good  and  solemn  meeting.  The  Emperor 
and  Grand  Duchess,  by  their  solemn  countenances  and 
religious  tenderness,  gave  evidence  that  they  felt  it  to 
be  so  to  them. 

"  I  felt  my  mind  much  relieved  after  this  service  with 
these  crowned  heads,  particularly  as  I  had  a  full  oppor- 
tunity to  lay  before  them  the  enormities  of  war,  and  to 
direct  their  attention  to  the  peaceable  spirit  of  Christ ; 
Alexander  especially  appeared  to  feel  deeply  on  the 
subject,  and  to  be  sincere  in  his  desire  for  the  pro- 
motion of  harmony,  love,  and  peace  throughout  the 
world ;  he  told  us  that  his  concern  had  been  great, 
that  the  several  crowned  heads  might  conclude  to 
settle  their  differences  by  arbitration  and  not  by  the 
sword." 

The  reference  to  William  Allen  in  the  foregoing 
extracts  calls  for  a  notice  of  this  distinguished  Quaker. 


lOO 


STEPHEN  CRELLET. 


He  was  a  little  older  than  Stephen  Grellet,  having  been 
born  in  London,  August  1770.  He  obtained  early  in 
life  considerable  distinction  by  his  scientific  acquire- 
ments, and  when  thirty-two  years  of  age  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Linnjean  Society,  and  became  a 
lecturer  on  chemistry  at  Guy's  Hospital  and  the  Royal 
Institution.  In  1807  he  was  elected  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society.  While  pursuing  these  scientific  studies 
he  dedicated  much  wealth  and  labour  on  behalf  of  the 
oppressed  Africans,  popular  education,  reform  of  the 
criminal  code,  the  Bible  Society,  and  international 
peace.  In  the  establishment  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
School  Society  he  took  a  prominent  part ;  and  the 
relief  of  distress  in  the  cities  of  England  at  that  period, 
and  of  the  agricultural  population,  engaged  much  of 
his  attention.  These  things  are  noted,  to  correct  an 
impression  that  he,  associated  afterwards  with  Stephen 
Grellet,  paid  too  much  court  to  royal  personages. 
The  impression  is  most  unjust.  Kings  and  emperors 
had  then,  as  now,  the  weH-being  and  liberties  of  the 
nations  in  their  hands,  and  no  service  could  have  been 
more  demanded  of  ministers  of  religion  than  that  of 
faithful  and  courteous  testimony,  before  crowned  heads, 
against  the  war  spirit,  and  in  favour  of  religious  liberty, 
and  of  attention  to  the  condition  of  prisoners. 

After  these  engagements  in  London,  Stephen  Grellet 
attended  the  Quarterly  Meetings  of  Friends  held  at 
York,  Durham,  Westmoreland,  and  Lancashire.  Kent 
and  Sussex  were  afterwards  visited  by  him.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1 8 14,  he  turned  his  face  homeward,  and,  having 
arrived  in  New  York,  records  his  gratitude  to  God 
for  the  providential  mercies  thrown  around  his  wife 
during  his  absence,  and  the  marked  interpositions  of 
his  Divine  Master  on  his  behalf. 

"  My   soul  was  reverently   prostrated   before  the 


SECOND  VISIT  TO  EUROPE.  loi 

Lord  for  the  preservation  extended  to  us.  His  own 
arm  brought  us  deliverance.  '  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in 
perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee,  because 
he  trusteth  in  Thee.'  Thus  did  my  gi'acious  Lord 
uphold  me,  and  deliver  me ;  for  ever  adored  and 
praised  be  His  holy  name.  How  often  has  He,  in 
the  course  of  these  last  three  years  and  a  half,  greatly 
magnified  His  name.  He  has  been  my  refuge  and 
strength,  and  has  never  failed  me.  I  have  travelled 
during  this  engagement  about  twenty-six  thousand 
miles  by  land,  besides  several  thousands  by  water, 
and  have  had  during  that  period  nearly  as  many 
meetings  as  days.  I  went  out  very  poor  in  spirit,  so 
I  return ;  and  yet  I  can  truly  say  that  I  have  not 
lacked  anything.  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  to  Him 
the  whole  praise  and  glory  are  ascribed !  On  my 
arrival  in  New  York  I  found  that  my  beloved  wife 
was  at  Burlington.  We  soon  met  there,  and  rejoiced 
together  in  the  Lord  for  His  great  goodness  to  us 
both,  exciting  a  desire  that,  through  His  Divine  grace 
helping  us,  we  may  stand  offered  up  to  Him  and 
His  service  to  the  end  of  our  lives." 

We  close  this  chapter  with  Steinkopfif's  words,  be- 
fore referred  to :  "  Previously  to  Stephen  Grellet's 
going  this  journey,  I  had  an  interview  with  him,  when 
he  told  me  his  intended  route.  I  said,  '  It  is  one  of 
the  most  difficult  you  could  have  formed.'  I  knew 
that,  if  he  gained  a  passport  at  all  to  visit  some 
parts  of  France,  it  would  be  from  one  of  the  most 
strict  police  officers  on  the  continent,  and  much  I 
feared  for  the  safety  of  this  excellent  man;  but  when 
he  began  to  tell  me  what  his  religious  views  were, 
and  I  saw  how  his  heart  was  bound  to  his  duty,  I 
believed  that  the  Lord  sent  him,  and  that  it  was  His 
work ;  I  could  not  doubt  of  its  accomplishment.  So 


I02 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


it  has  proved.  He  is  now  safely  returned,  after  having 
passed  through  armies  of  Cossacks,  from  whom  he  met 
with  httle  or  no  insult.  The  blessing  of  the  Lord  was 
with  him,  and  I  doubt  not  made  him  instrumental  of 
much  good.  This  gentleman  has  all  the  vivacity  of  a 
Frenchman  with  the  solidity  of  the  English." 

"  No  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall  pros- 
per ;  and  every  tongue  that  shall  rise  against  thee  in 
judgment  thou  shalt  condemn.  This  is  the  heritage 
of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  is 
of  Me,  saith  the  Lord"  (Isa.  liv.  17). 


CHAPTER  X. 


MISSION  TO  THE  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS. 


HE  prayer  of  Stephen  Grellet  at  the  close  of  the 


X  last  chapter  was  "  that  through  Divine  grace 
helping  us"  {i.e.  Mrs.  Grellet  and  himself),  "we  may 
stand  offered  up  to  the  Lord  and  His  service  to  the 
end  of  our  lives."  The  words  will  remind  of  those 
remarkable  ones  in  "  The  Imitation  of  Christ."  It  is 
thus  the  Lord  speaks  to  His  followers  :  "  I  have  very 
often  said  unto  thee,  Forsake  thyself,  resign  thyself, 
and  thou  shalt  enjoy  much  inward  peace.  Give  all 
for  all ;  seek  nothing,  ask  back  nothing ;  abide  purely 
and  with  a  firm  confidence  in  Me,  and  thou  shalt 
possess  Me,  thou  shalt  be  free  in  heart,  and  darkness 
shall  not  tread  thee  down.  Let  this  be  thy  whole 
endeavour ;  let  this  be  thy  prayer,  thy  desire ;  that 
being  stripped  of  all  selfishness  thou  mayest  with 
entire  simplicity  follow  Jesus  only,  and,  dying  to  thy- 
self, mayest  live  eternally  in  Me." 

The  freedom  and  efficiency  of  Stephen  Grellet  must 
be  attributed  to  this  unreserved  purpose  to  do  the  will 
of  Christ.  Without  difficulty  he  was  enabled  wisely 
to  instruct  in  every  private  circle  of  the  poor  and  of 
persons  of  distinction,  and  to  speak  with  wonderful 
persuasiveness  in  every  meeting  he  addressed.  In  his 
case  we  seem  to  learn  that  entire  disinterestedness,  self- 
control,  and  devotion  to  truth  are  more  effective  than 


104 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


intellect,  high  culture,  and  depths  of  scholarly  penetra- 
tion, which  are  less  sanctified.* 

Considerations  that  have  a  national  bearing  demand 
notice  also.  At  the  epoch  under  consideration,  Eng- 
land, during  her  long  years  of  peace,  the  eagle  spirit  of 
the  great  conqueror  of  France  having  been  subdued, 
was  to  initiate  that  golden  age  of  faith,  Christian  enthu- 
siasm, enterprise,  and  successful  commerce  towards 
which  she  continued  to  advance  so  grandly  until  the 
middle  of  the  century.  The  continental  nations,  dur- 
ing the  same  period,  were  to  develop  that  love  of  free- 
dom, and  to  realize  that  power  of  a  true  spiritual  life, 
which  have  wrought  the  vastest  changes  in  European 
kingdoms,  the  most  remarkable  growth  of  liberty  for 
religious  opinion,  and  are  yet  struggling,  blindly  and 
eagerly,  but  with  grand  prophecies  for  the  future.  As 
for  the  United  States,  during  the  same  decades  they  have 
turned  over  a  page  of  progress  in  all  that  constitutes 
an  inventive,  commercial,  agricultural,  colonizing,  and 
Christian  life,  more  magnificent  than  has  ever  before 

*  The  first  disciples  of  Christ  have  been  termed  "very  inferior 
men."  A  distinguished  preacher  and  writer  has  said  :  "  None  can 
know  what  the  reasons  were  for  the  selection  by  Christ  of  the  inner 
circle  of  His  disciples.  None  of  them  exhibited  any  traits  of  genius." 
But  may  not  this  be  to  judge  by  a  human  standard  ?  Great  gifts 
do  not  of  themselves  make  the  effective  preachers.  Spite  of  their 
errors,  contentions,  and  inability  at  first  to  comprehend  their 
Master,  the  eleven  possessed  eminent  moral  qualifications  for  the 
witness  to  which  they  were  called.  They  were  less  swayed  by 
policy  and  conventional  prejudices  than  other  more  cultivated 
Jews.  Nicodemus  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea  did  not  openly  avow 
their  discipleship  till  compelled  by  the  final  crisis.  It  is  an  easy 
matter  to  picture  the  weaknesses  of  the  eleven,  for  two  of  them  have 
told  us  of  them.  It  may,  however,  be  questioned  whether  men 
of  higher  pretensions  would,  as  chroniclers  of  Jesus,  have  been  as 
likely  to  have  kept  back  their  own  personality,  and  to  have  mirrored 
for  us  so  carefully  the  very  word  and  look  of  the  Lord.  In  the 
depth  of  their  affections,  their  honesty  to  conviction,  their  sincerity, 
their  independence  of  popular  prejudices,  and  their  capacity  of 
growth,  there  appear  adequate  reasons  for  their  selection  by  Christ. 


AflSSION  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS.  lo; 


been  witnessed  in  any  historical  period.  And  this  pro- 
gress will  not  be  followed  by  decay  like  that  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  for  apparently  America  is  more  watch- 
ful over  the  essential  salt  of  its  Christian  faith  and 
character  than  ourselves.  Surely  we  may  admire  the 
mercy  and  wisdom  of  God  that,  at  such  a  formative  time 
to  the  nations,  and  at  such  a  period  of  a  new  start 
for  humanity.  He  gave  to  Europe  and  America  the 
Christian  consecration  and  noble  self  denial  of  men 
like  Stephen  Grellet  and  William  Allen  ;  and  as  we 
trace  their  work  we  are  indicating  the  unrecorded  ser- 
vice of  many  like-minded  men. 

Before  entering  on  their  joint  labours  for  a  season, 
reference  must  be  made  to  a  visit  paid  by  Mr.  Grellet 
to  one  of  the  islands  of  the  Antilles.  He  was  at  this 
time  in  New  York,  conducting  his  business  in  partner- 
^^,^^^ship  with  his  brother-in-law,  who  was  in  true  sympathy 
~  with  his  convictions  and  aims.  The  business  was  pros- 
perous. He  afterwards  recorded :  "  I  was  thereby 
enabled  to  defray  the  heavy  expenses  of  my  last 
journey,  to  provide  for  my  beloved  family,  and  to 
lay  up  enough  to  pay  my  expenses  during  the  exten- 
sive service  before  me.  My  wife  is  my  faithful  helper ; 
she  very  sweetly  encourages  me  to  follow  the  Lord  in 
the  paths  of  obedience  and  in  all  faithfulness." 

While  thus  occupied,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Hayti. 
Columbus  landed  on  this  island  in  December  1492. 
He  called  it  Hispaniola,  or  "  little  Spain."  It  is  often 
called  San  Domingo  ;  its  size  and  fertility  give  it  rank 
as  the  second  of  the  Greater  Antilles.  At  this  time  it 
had  established  its  own  free  constitution.  Slavery  had 
been  for  ever  abolished.  The  Roman  Catholic  religion 
was  declared  to  be  that  of  the  state,  but  the  exercise 
of  every  other  was  tolerated. 

Stephen  Grellet's  visit  was  mainly  to  promote  the 


io6 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


interests  of  the  coloured  population.  He  held  large 
meetings,  distributed  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  tracts.  He 
was  offered  a  spacious  Romish  church  as  being  the  most 
convenient  place  to  accommodate  the  people.  On  his 
expressing  objections  to  this  arrangement,  the  President 
— Alexander  Petion — replied  :  "  The  meetings  are  for 
Divine  worship,  and  for  this  purpose  the  church  has  been 
built ;  moreover,  the  chief  priest  has  no  objection."  This 
removed  his  difficulty.  The  meeting  was  largely  attended; 
his  language  however  is  :  "  great  was  the  travail  of  my 
spirit  on  behalf  of  this  large  congregation.  To  the  testi- 
mony that  the  Lord  is  very  near  to  those  who  are  lost 
in  their  sins,  in  order  to  save,  He  condescended  to  re- 
veal His  power,  and  to  cause  the  stream  of  His  glorious 
gospel  to  flow."  He  also  met  about  six  thousand  of 
the  military,  gathered  before  the  palace  of  the  President, 
who  himself  sat  by  his  side  while  he  preached  "the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,"  urging  the  soldiers  to 
come  and  range  themselves  under  the  standard  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  An  hour  after  the  service  the  general 
in  chief  with  most  of  his  staff  visited  him  at  his  lodgings, 
to  express  their  grateful  acknowledgment.  On  another 
occasion  the  free  coloured  population  came  from  the 
mountains  and  villages  round  about  to  attend  a  large 
meeting  in  the  market  place.  "  The  whole  preceding 
night,"  are  his  words,  "  my  exercise  was  such  that  my  soul 
cried  deeply  unto  the  Lord  for  His  saving  help  and  strength. 
It  was  as  if  the  weight  of  the  mountains  was  upon  me, 
and  I  felt  so  poor  and  empty  that  I  thought  I  could 
never  more  advocate  the  cause  of  truth.  The  meeting 
the  next  morning  was  quiet  and  solemn,  and  the  Lord 
very  graciously  was  strength  in  weakness." 

In  weakness  He  promises  to  make  His  strength 
perfect.  The  influence  of  a  wise  and  benevolent  man 
among  a  lately  enslaved  people  was  beyond  all  estima- 


M/SSIOy  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS.  107 


tion,  and  he  was  able  to  add  :  "  I  frequently  marvel 
in  beholding  how,  among  these  descendants  of  Africa, 
who  have  had  so  few  advantages  compared  to  many  of 
the  Europeans,  the  gospel  stream  does  flow,  and  the 
word  preached  appears  to  have  an  entrance ;  they  re- 
ceive it  in  the  simplicity  of  their  hearts,  and  in  the  love 
of  it.  I  may  also  bear  testimony  to  their  general  good 
conduct  and  honesty.  One  may  travel  among  them 
with  the  greatest  security.  I  have  heard  that  very  fre- 
quently large  sums  of  money  are  sent  over  these  mount- 
ains from  one  seaport  to  another,  and  no  attempt  at 
robbery  has  been  known.  Very  lately  a  man  had  six 
horses  loaded  with  sacks  of  dollars,  and  one  of  the 
sacks  had  become  so  worn  that,  when  the  driver  dis- 
covered it,  it  was  nearly  empty.  On  his  going  back  he 
found  the  dollars  scattered  on  the  road  for  some  miles, 
and  people  collecting  them.  They  immediately  gave 
him  what  they  had  picked  up,  and  assisted  in  finding 
more.  When  the  driver  sat  down  to  count,  he  found 
that  only  about  ten  were  missing  ;  and  then  these  men 
went  farther  on  in  search,  and  at  length  brought  him 
back  every  single  dollar  !  We  might  in  vain  look  for  so 
much  honesty  among  many  of  our  white  people." 

The  interest  which  he  felt  in  the  people  of  Hayti  did 
not  cease  after  his  return.  He  corresponded  with  Petion 
and  some  of  the  chief  men  of  the  island,  and,  both  by 
enlisting  in  their  favour  the  efforts  of  English  philan- 
thropists, and  by  more  direct  influence,  he  was  the  means 
of  rendering  valuable  aid  in  advancing  the  cause  of 
general  education,  and  of  the  social  as  well  as  moral  and 
religious  improvement  among  the  Africans,  just  emerging 
from  the  degrading  thraldom  of  slavery,  and  of  others 
suffering  from  long  continued  struggles  for  political 
liberty. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1818,  with  a  commendation  of 


io8 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Friends  he  sailed  for  England.  Arrived  in  London  he 
at  once  told  his  "  dear  friend  William  Allen  that  it  was 
he  who  was  to  be  associated  with  him  in  his  work  among 
the  nations."  Five  days  after,  in  company  with  his 
mother  and  daughter,  Allen  met  with  Stephen  Grellet 
for  the  purpose  of  waiting  before  the  Lord.  After  the 
manner  of  the  Friends  it  was  for  a  time  a  season  of 
silence,  which  was  at  length  broken  by  William  Allen, 
prostrate  on  his  knees,  offering  himself  and  his  all  to  the 
Lord,  to  go  wherever  the  blessed  Master  might  be 
pleased  to  send  him,  and  to  drink  whatever  cup  He 
might  prepare.  Mr.  Grellet  remarks  :  "  Oh,  it  was  a 
solemn  season  indeed ;  my  soul  very  reverently  adored 
the  excellency  of  the  Lord's  power  and  mercy  in  thus 
providing  for  me  the  companion  after  my  own  heart, 
towards  whom  my  mind  had  been  inclined  for  a  length 
of  time,  though  none  knew  it  except  my  beloved  wife. 
Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me, 
bless  His  holy  name  !  " 

In  his  memorials  William  Allen  refers  to  the  "  very 
weighty  manner  "  in  which  among  Friends  Mr.  Grellet 
disclosed  his  "concern"  for  the  European  nations. 
From  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Kent,  the  Prince 
Leopold,  the  Swedish  Ambassadors,  Thomas  Clarkson, 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Fry,  Priscilla  Gurney,  R.  D.  Alexander,  and 
others,  they  received  assurances  of  assistance  in  their 
mission,  or  of  prayers. 

Before  offering  a  few  passages  from  the  Journal 
which  records  their  work  through  northern  Europe,  it  is 
important  to  interpose  an  observation.  History  has 
so  exclusively  dealt  with  political,  dynastic,  and  military 
events,  as  to  justify  the  impression  that  the  wars,  violence, 
and  oppressions  of  the  early  part  of  the  present  century 
had  all  but  obliterated  traces  of  piety.  No  mistake 
could  be  greater.    The  mission  of  the  Comforter  was 


MISS/OX  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIOXS.  109 


not  a  blessing  confined  to  the  first  planting  of  the 
Christian  church.  Since  the  ascension  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  when  heaven  and  earth  were  united  in  Him,  there 
has  been  no  period  when  the  Divine  Spirit  has  not  moved 
upon  human  hearts.  The  world  has  yet  to  be  enriched 
by  some  gifted  mind  who  shall  trace  the  history  of  the 
Spirit's  grace  through  all  these  Christian  ages,  and  the 
unexpected  and  rare  piety  which  has  shone  in  every 
social  circle,  in  every  Christian  communion,  and  in  all 
lands.  Man  is  "  capable  of  this  interior  presence  of  the 
Divine  nature";  and  to  some  readers  of  this  memoir  the 
evidence  of  the  gracious  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
in  places  where  they  might  not  have  been  looked  for, 
will  furnish  a  valuable  encouragement  to  Christian  dis- 
ciples outside  the  Society  of  Friends,  for  whom  especi- 
ally Mr.  Grellet's  Journal  was  kept. 

"Norway:  Stavanger,  Eighth  Month  25th,  iSiS. 
The  little  company  here  who  profess  with  Friends 
have  hitherto  held  their  religious  meetings  in  one  of 
their  houses,  which  sometimes  subjected  them  to  inter- 
ruptions, and  piously  inclined  persons  feel  diffident  in 
coming  to  sit  with  them  in  a  private  house.  This  has 
induced  us  to  endeavour  to  procure  a  suitable  place  for 
them  to  meet  in.  We  have  obtained  a  commodious 
room,  which  we  have  hired  for  one  year,  and  had  it 
properly  seated  and  prepared. 

"  Several  opportunities  have  presented  for  our  being 
with  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  place.  Sometimes 
a  large  number  were  collected  together.  We  assisted 
them  in  organizing  a  meeting  for  maintaining  good 
order  and  Christian  care  over  one  another,  which  is  to 
be  held  every  two  months. 

"  Christiansand.  It  has  taken  us  two  days  to  come 
here  in  our  little  vessel,  which  we  have  now  discharged, 
as  we  expect  to  proceed  by  land. 


110 


STEPHEN'  CRELLET. 


"  Accompanied  by  Peter  Isaacson,  a  pious  man  to 
whom  we  were  introduced,  we  have  visited  the  Governor, 
who  treated  us  with  great  civility,  and  is  disposed  to  give 
us  every  facility  he  can  in  the  further  prosecution  of  our 
religious  or  benevolent  objects. 

"Christiania.  We  arrived  here  early  this  afternoon,  and 
had  in  the  evening  a  small  meeting  with  those  who  profess 
with  us.  Some  of  them  I  had  seen  on  board  the  prison 
ship  in  England. 

"  We  have  found  a  wide  door  set  open  before  us  by  our 
blessed  Master.  We  have  had  various  meetings,  and 
have  also  visited  families.  They  cordially  unite  in  adopt- 
ing the  rules  of  discipline  prepared  at  Stavanger  ;  and 
conclude  to  establish  a  Two-Months'  Meeting.  We  have 
had  some  pretty  large  and  satisfactory  meetings  with  the 
inhabitants.  There  are  serious  and  pious  individuals 
among  them,  who  are  ready  to  receive  our  testimony. 
We  find  great  openness  among  the  men  in  power, — the 
Governor,  the  chief  minister  of  state,  their  several 
officers,  and  many  of  the  principal  merchants.  Some 
religious  meetings  among  that  class  of  men  have 
been  held  at  the  residence  of  the  Governor,  and  have 
been  seasons  of  Divine  favour.  There  is  here  a  fortress, 
in  which  many  prisoners  are  confined  for  life,  others  for 
a  term  of  years.  The  governor  of  the  castle  had  them 
collected  in  their  respective  yards,  to  give  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  meeting  with  them. 

"Stockholm.  We  have  been  closely  occupied  since 
coming  to  this  city,  where  we  felt  ourselves  particularly 
concerned  for  the  poor  and  the  suffering.  It  has  led  us 
to  visit  their  various  institutions.  We  have  had  the 
company  of  Phillipson,  a  pious  and  benevolent  man, 
whose  time  and  large  estate  are  employed  in  acts  of 
benevolence.  He  is  the  founder  and  supporter  of  several 
of  these  establishments,  and  takes  a  very  active  part  in 


MISSION'  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS,  iii 

many  others.  Those  for  the  education  of  poor  children 
are  very  extensive  :  they  are  on  the  most  liberal  plan, 
and  in  good  order.  The  same  may  be  said  of  their 
retreats  for  the  aged  ;  they  are  treated  more  like  persons 
in  middle  circumstances  in  life  than  is  generally  the  case 
in  poorhouses.  They  have  no  beggars  here ;  indeed 
they  are  not  allowed ;  if  a  man  cannot  obtain  work,  some 
is  provided  for  him  ;  if  he  knows  not  how  to  work,  he  is 
taught ;  if  he  cannot  sell  his  produce,  a  reasonable  price 
is  given  him  for  it,  to  enable  him  to  live  till  he  can  do 
better  for  himself.  The  aged,  infirm  or  sick,  are  main- 
tained in  the  most  liberal  manner.  We  have  visited  all 
these  establishments,  and  their  prisons  also,  having  re- 
ligious meetings  in  many  of  them :  Enoch  Jacobson  being 
our  interpreter.  We  have  had  many  religious  oppor- 
tunities also  among  the  inhabitants  ;  some  of  these  were 
held  at  our  lodgings,  where  we  have  a  spacious  room  for 
the  purpose. 

"Soon  after  our  arrival,  we  waited  on  the  Count 
D'Engerstrom,  for  whom  we  had  letters  ;  he  is  the  prime 
minister.  He  told  us  that  the  King  had  been  informed 
of  our  arrival  in  his  dominions,  and  had  expressed  a 
desire  to  see  us  when  we  came  to  Stockholm.  The 
Count  appeared  to  take  much  interest  in  the  object  of 
our  religious  engagements. 

"22nd,  —  month.  Being  informed  by  Count  D'Enger- 
strom, that  the  King  (Bernadotte)  would  receive  us  this 
evening  at  his  palace  at  Rosendal,  we  went  there  at  the 
time  appointed.  We  had  requested  that  it  might  be  a 
private  audience,  but  the  Count  at  once  introduced  us 
into  a  very  spacious  and  richly  furnished  room,  full  of  the 
King's  great  men,  ministers,  generals,  etc.,  etc., — all  in  full 
court  dresses — for  we  were  actually  brought  into  the  court. 
I  felt  low  on  finding  myself  in  such  company.  What  a 
contrast  we  were  to  them  !  we  in  uur  plain  simple  garb. 


112 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


our  hats  on, — they  in  their  rich  attire,  and  many  insignia 
of  high  rank.  They  treated  us,  however,  witli  respect, 
and  even  with  affability ;  such  especially,  at  whose 
houses  we  had  been,  and  who  had  attended  our  meetings. 
Shortly  after,  we  were  introduced  to  a  private  apartment 
where  the  King  was  alone.  He  received  us  with  kind- 
ness, entered  with  interest  into  the  objects  that  had 
brought  us  into  his  dominions,  and  wished  every  liberty 
and  facility  to  be  given  us  to  visit  any  place  we  might 
desire ;  and  requested  us  to  impart  to  him  any  obser- 
vations we  make,  that  he  might  administer  help  and  relief 
where  needed,  adding,  '  but  you  know  that  the  king's 
name,  which  implies  power,  is  not  always  attended 
with  it ;  on  the  contrary,  I  feel  very  often  my  impo- 
tency.'  Having  inquired  what  further  stay  we  proposed 
to  make  in  Stockholm,  and  finding  that  it  was  to  be 
prolonged  for  a  few  days,  he  said  he  desired  to  see  us 
again. 

"  The  Count  D'Engerstrom  having  sent  us  information 
that  the  King  wished  to  see  us  at  five  p.m.,  in  the  town 
palace,  we  went  accordingly.  The  Count  was  waiting 
for  us,  and  brought  us  at  once  into  the  King's  private 
chamber.  He  received  us  in  a  kind  and  friendly 
manner,  and  made  us  take  seats  by  him,  none  being 
present  with  us  but  the  Count.  We  had  a  very  full 
opportunity  with  him,  in  the  course  of  which  we  pressed 
the  necessity  of  allowing  liberty  of  conscience  in  his 
dominions.  The  King  feelingly  alluded  to  the  great 
responsibility  he  felt  as  monarch  over  this  realm  ;  that 
if  he  was  successful  in  doing  any  good,  he  was  but  a 
weak  instrument  in  it ;  indeed  his  power  was  very 
limited.  He  spoke  with  much  feeling  of  the  case  of 
the  poor  Jews,  who,  by  the  law  of  the  nation,  are  not 
allowed  to  reside  in  this  country.  He  had  several  times 
tried  to  have  this  iniquitous  law  repealed,  but  his  efforts 


A//SS/O.V  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATrOX.";.  113 

had  been  in  vain.  He  mentioned  an  occurrence  that 
took  place  lately.  A  number  of  Jews  were  wrecked  on 
the  Swedish  coast,  when  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty 
that  he,  the  King,  had  succeeded  in  allowing  them  to  be 
landed  ;  but  he  could  not  protect  them  from  being  sent 
out  of  the  kingdom  as  speedily  as  could  be,  though  the 
poor  sufferers  had  lost  their  all ;  supplies  were  given 
from  the  King's  private  purse.  We  were  almost  two 
hours  together ;  and  on  our  parting  the  King  held  us  by 
the  hand,  and,  embracing  us,  seemed  as  if  he  could 
hardly  let  us  go,  following  us  with  his  eyes  and  uplifted 
hand  till  we  were  out  of  sight. 

"Finland:  Abo,  29th  of  Tenth  Month.  AVe  arrived 
here  early  this  morning.  It  was  a  beautiful  passage.  The 
numerous  rocks  and  islands  through  which  we  passed 
are  called  '  The  Tliousand  Islands.'  My  mind  was, 
however,  under  too  great  a  weight  of  feeling  to  enjoy 
the  surrounding  beauties.  On  the  one  hand  I  was 
prostrated  before  the  Lord  in  adoration  and  praise,  for 
the  help  He  has  granted  us  through  Norway  and  Sweden, 
the  wide  door  He  set  open  before  us  to  proclaim  His 
great  and  holy  name  among  the  people  at  large,  and  to 
many  of  their  clergy ;  and  the  manner  in  which  way  has 
been  made  for  us  to  spread  before  the  King  of  Sweden, 
and  many  of  his  nobles,  our  concern  for  the  promotion  of 
the  cause  of  truth  among  them.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
my  spirit  was  brought  very  low  under  the  weight  and 
magnitude  of  the  mission  upon  me  for  this  vast  empire 
of  Russia,  not  knowing  what  may  befall  us  here.  O  Lord, 
all  things  are  possible  to  Thee  !  Not  by  might  nor  by 
wisdom,  but  by  Thy  Spirit  only,  are  Thy  servants  to  be 
directed  ;  their  help  is  from  Thee  alone  ! 

"In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  the  prison  in  the  castle, 
accompanied  by  the  doctor  and  the  secretary  of  the 
Governor-General.    The  castle  is  about  two  miles  out 

I 


114 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


of  Abo.  The  chains  and  irons  fastened  upon  the  poor 
prisoners  exceed  what  I  have  seen  anywhere  else,  though 
I  have  visited  many  prisons.  The  Governor  has  it  not 
in  his  power  to  remove  these  fetters,  but  by  his  humane 
treatment  the  prisoners  are  kept  very  clean,  and  the 
cells  dry  and  well  warmed  in  winter.  We  have  taken 
a  sketch  of  the  fetters  of  these  miserable  sufferers,  which 
perhaps  may  be  of  use  at  a  future  day  in  endeavouring 
to  procure  some  relief  for  them.  One  man  has  been 
confined  in  heavy  irons  for  eighteen  years. 

"  31st.  I  felt  so  distressed  last  night  under  a  sense  of 
the  sufferings  and  misery  which  I  had  beheld,  that  I 
could  not  sleep  ;  my  soul  was  poured  out  before  the 
Lord  that  He  would  open  the  way  for  the  mitigation  of 
so  much  distress. 

"  ist  of  Eleventh  Month.  Yesterday  we  had  a  full 
opportunity  with  the  Governor.  We  laid  before  him 
the  heavy  sufferings  of  the  poor  prisoners  in  the  castle, 
and  in  the  other  prisons.  He  feels  for  them,  and  says 
that  he  has  taken  steps  towards  a  change  in  their  treat- 
ment, but  has  not  yet  succeeded;  he  apprehends  it  has 
never  yet  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Emperor.  We 
pressed  it  upon  him  to  exert  his  influence  for  the  relief 
of  such  suffering.  We  have  had  a  religious  opportunity 
in  his  palace,  with  his  family  and  about  fifty  other  persons. 
His  wife  and  daughters  are  serious  characters  j  we  pro- 
claimed among  them  the  redeeming  love  and  mercy  of 
God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  has  also  given  to 
every  man,  for  this  very  purpose,  the  manifestation  of 
His  Spirit. 

"  This  evening  we  had  another  opportunity  with  about 
forty  or  fifty  persons  ;  two  of  them  were  our  fellow 
passengers  from  Stockholm,  a  young  nobleman  from 
Russia  and  a  lady.  The  Archbishop  sent  us  a  re- 
quest for  an  interview.     We  accordingly  went  to  his 


MISSION  TO  NORTHERN  El'ROPTAN  NATIONS.  115 

house.  Our  minds  were  strongly  engaged  before  the 
Lord  that,  through  the  help  of  His  Spirit,  He  would 
preserve  us  from  everything  that  could  militate  against 
His  cause  of  righteousness  and  truth.  The  Archbishop 
received  us  at  first  in  his  private  apartment,  but  soon 
brought  us  into  a  spacious  room,  in  which  were  his  wife 
and  several  members  of  his  family,  Avho  were  shortly 
after  joined  by  many  of  the  clergy.  It  appears  that 
these  had  come  to  Abo  from  different  parts  of  Finland, 
on  some  special  occasion,  and  the  Archbishop  was 
willing  to  give  them  an  opportunity  to  be  with  us.  On 
seeing  such  a  company  collect,  we  felt  our  minds  brought 
under  deep  exercise.  My  prayer  was  that  the  Lord 
would  turn  this  time  of  trial  to  His  glory,  and  the  exalta- 
tion of  His  great  name.  After  a  while  I  felt  that  His 
power  was  over  all,  and  my  confidence  in  Him  was  re- 
newed. One  of  the  first  subjects  introduced  by  the 
Bishop  was  liberty  of  conscience.  We  were  enabled 
with  clearness  to  state  that  the  control  of  the  conscience 
is  a  prerogative  which  the  Lord  has  reserved  in  His  o\vn 
hands ;  to  Him  alone  it  belongs,  by  His  Spirit  and  His 
truth,  to  rule  in  the  hearts  of  men  ;  men  may  make 
hypocrites,  constrain  them  to  an  outward  profession,  but 
they  cannot  convert  the  heart.  Then  followed — what 
constitutes  a  member  of  the  church  of  Christ,  the 
Christian  worship  and  ministry — out  of  which  branched 
an  allusion  to  the  many  ceremonies  and  practices  that 
have  found  a  place  among  different  religious  denomina- 
tions, and  for  which  there  is  no  authority  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  The  Archbishop  gave  unequivocal  assent  to 
many  of  our  sentiments,  and  several  of  those  present 
united  in  the  same ;  some  requested  further  explanation. 
They  said  that  all  the  best  forms  and  outward  observ- 
ances are  but  a  shadow  of  the  substance,  to  which  every 
true  Christian  is  to  gather ;   '  none  of  these  things,' 


ii6 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


said  the  Archbishop,  '  will  be  found  in  heaven ;  but 
love,  which  should  be  universal  on  the  earth,  and  love 
to  God,  which  is  to  endure  for  ever,  will  prevail  there.' 
When  we  came  to  the  dinner  table,  instead  of  sitting 
down  at  once,  the  company  stood  in  silence  behind  the 
chairs,  and  then,  without  uttering  a  word,  we  all  took 
our  seats.  I  was  seated  between  the  Archbishop  and 
his  wife,  and  took  the  opportunity  to  ask  him  respecting 
their  having  thus  stood  in  silence  before  sitting  down. 
He  said  that  it  is  his  regular  practice  in  his  family  ;  he 
considers  it  much  preferable  to  the  formal  habit  of 
uttering  set  prayers,  which  often  the  heart  does  not 
feel ;  but  that  in  silence  there  is  an  opportunity  for  the 
heart  to  feel  after  and  receive  a  qualification  for  secret 
prayer  to  God.  During  dinner  he  made  several  in- 
quiries tending  to  edification.  -I  felt  my  mind  strongly 
drawn,  in  the  love  of  Christ,  towards  the  company  with 
whom  we  had  been  thus  unexpectedly  brought  to  mingle, 
and  I  was  waiting  for  a  suitable  opportunity  to  express 
what  I  felt  towards  them,  when,  after  dinner,  they  all 
rose  and  placed  themselves  again,  as  before  dinner,  be- 
hind their  chairs,  and  so  continued  for  a  while  in  silence. 
I  then  believed  it  was  the  proper  time  to  communicate 
what  I  felt  to  be  the  Lord's  message  to  them.  Much 
seriousness  and  solemnity  prevailed ;  and,  before  we 
separated,  the  Archbishop  expressed  his  gratitude  that 
he  and  his  brethren  had  had  such  an  opportunity  to  be 
with  us,  and  he  desired  that  the  Lord  might  prosper  and 
Dless  the  work  to  which  He  has  called  us,  and  bring  us 
to  the  knowledge  of  thousands  of  His  faithful  servants 
in  the  nations  whereto  He  is  sending  us,  and  finally,  by 
His  redeeming  grace,  enable  us  to  meet  all  together  in 
the  kingdom  of  His  dear  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  whole  of  this  was  expressed  in  French,  which  the 
company  undei stood." 


MISSION  TO  NORTHERN  EUROPEAN  NATIONS.  117 


It  was  the  habit  of  the  two  travellers  to  invite  to  their 
lodgings  in  everyplace  persons  who  desired  to  join  them 
in  religious  exercises.  When  they  called  on  merchants 
with  letters  of  introduction  they  entered  on  religious 
conversation  and  left  books.  In  the  streets  where  the 
poor  live,  they  would  address  little  assemblies  of  from 
forty  to  fifty  persons.  As  they  rested  for  the  night  in 
crossing  hills,  they  would  interest  their  fellow-travellers 
by  reading  hymns.  They  readily  obtained  access  to 
orphanages,  and  sat  with  fatherly  love  and  wisdom  among 
the  boys  and  girls.  At  Stockholm,  Lord  Strangford, 
the  British  Ambassador,  went  forth  to  meet  them.  In 
other  cities  they  were  received  by  officers  of  the  army, 
and  by  judges,  to  whom  they  bore  an  appropriate  testi- 
mony.   In  such  labours  they  passed  on  to  Russia. 


CHAPTER  XL 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 

BEFORE  giving  extracts  from  Mr.  Grellet's  Journal 
at  a  deeply  interesting  period  of  his  mission,  it 
may  give  us  a  better  insight  into  his  character  if  a  refer- 
ence be  made  to  what  Mr.  Allen  says  respecting  him  in 
his  Autobiography.  "  Nothing  can  exceed,"  he  says, 
"dear  Stephen's  kindness  and  care  of  me."  "  In  his  own 
kind,  tender,  and  suitable  way,  Stephen  spoke  to  per- 
sons high  and  low."  He  refers  also  to  Mr.  Grellet's 
"  sweet  and  solemn  supplications,"  at  all  seasons,  and  in 
all  emergencies.  Mr.  Allen  was  specially  engaged  m 
the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  advance  of 
popular  education,  and  into  these  two  objects  Mr. 
Grellet  entered  warmly,  while  nothing  was  allowed  to 
divert  him  from  his  work  of  benevolence  and  ministering 
the  gospel  of  God. 

"Petersburg  :  14th  of  Eleventh  Month,  1818.  We  de- 
livered letters  that  we  had  for  several  persons.  It 
brought  us  to  an  acquaintance  with  some  who  mani- 
fest kindness  towards  us,  and  through  whose  medium 
we  have  obtained  convenient  private  lodgings,  at  the 
house  of  an  English  woman,  widow  of  a  Russian 
officer.  We  find  in  Samuel  Stansfield,  a  young  Friend 
from  Sheffield,  settled  here  in  mercantile  pursuits,  an 
agreeable  and  useful  companion.  We  have  reason  to 
believe  that  his  conduct  is  consistent  with  his  religious 
profession.  Daniel  Wheeler  and  family  reside  at  Ochta, 
a  few  miles  up  on  the  other  side  of  the  Neva.  They 


S/.Y  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


119 


came  to  Russia  some  months  since.  The  Emperor 
Alexander  had  employed  some  persons  to  drain  exten- 
sive morasses  near  this  city  ;  but  they  did  not  under- 
stand their  business,  and  sought  only  to  make  money,  so 
that  under  various  pretences  they  expended  considerable 
sums ;  which  induced  the  Emperor,  after  his  return  from 
England,  to  desire,  if  possible,  to  have  a  member  of  our 
Society  to  undertake  the  management  of  such  works, 
believing  that  he  could  rely  on  the  faithfulness  and  up- 
rightness of  such  persons ;  and  he  wished  also  to  have 
near  him  a  man  of  religious  principles,  whose  example 
might  have  a  good  influence  on  others.  In  consequence 
he  wrote  to  the  Prince  Lieven,  his  ambassador  in  London, 
who  consulted  with  William  Allen.  During  that  period  our 
dear  friend  Daniel  Wheeler,  who  resided  at  Sheffield,  had 
felt  strong  drawings  of  gospel  love  towards  Russia ; 
though  he  did  not  feel  called  upon  to  go  to  travel  as  a 
gospel  minister,  he  yet  thought  that  it  was  a  sense  of 
religious  duty  that  prompted  him  to  go  to  that  nation. 
He  was  brought  under  very  deep  exercise  and  conflict  of 
mind  ;  when,  hearing  of  tlie  desire  of  the  Emperor  that  a 
member  of  our  Society  would  undertake  the  draining  of 
those  morasses,  Daniel  felt  immediately  that  it  was  for 
this  very  object  that  his  mind  had  been  preparing,  and 
in  due  time  he  removed  here  with  his  family.  He 
holds  religious  meetings  regularly  twice  a  week,  in  his 
own  house.    His  public  work  is  one  of  great  progress. 

"  15th,  First  Day.  We  were  prevented  by  the  severity 
of  the  weather,  and  other  obstacles,  from  attempting  to 
cross  the  Neva,  so  as  to  attend  the  little  meeting  at 
Ochta,  with  Daniel  Wheeler  and  family  ;  but  dear  Allen 
and  myself  sat  down  together,  as  usual,  to  wait  upon  the 
Lord.  This  has  been  our  daily  practice  since  we  left 
England,  and  mostly  tv/ice  a-day ;  we  have  not  been 
prevented  by  travelling,  often  finding  our  carriage  like  a 


120 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


little  sanctuary,  where  the  Lord's  presence  has  been 
near,  and  our  spirits  contrited  and  refreshed  by  Him. 
This  day  our  dear  Redeemer  has  again  condescended 
very  graciously  to  be  near  us,  and  to  hear  the  secret  but 
fervent  language  of  our  supplications  ;  for  we  have  been 
brought  very  low  since  our  arrival  here.  He  has  merci- 
fully confirmed  us  in  the  faith  that  we  have  come  into 
this  empire  by  His  Divine  appointment,  and  that  He 
will  be  our  all-sufficient  guide  and  helper  for  the  work  He 
may  call  us  to,  and  also  our  almighty  protector  under 
whatever  trials  may  overtake  us  :  if  we,  on  our  part, 
follow  the  putting  forth  of  His  Spirit  with  singleness  of 
heart  and  faithfulness. 

"  17th.  We  visited,  yesterday,  several  persons  for 
whom  we  had  letters ;  a  few  of  these  are  of  sober  and 
serious  minds.  The  Count  Lieven,  elder  brother  of  the 
ambassador  in  London,  came  to  see  us  ;  his  family  are 
Protestants ;  they  are  from  Livonia.  He  is  at  present 
under  deep  affliction  ;  his  wife,  who  was  a  pious  woman, 
died  a  week  since  ;  and  his  eldest  son,  with  the  other 
members  of  the  family,  have  gone  to  accompany  her 
remains  to  Livonia,  to  be  buried  on  his  estates  there. 
Feeling  much  for  the  Count  in  his  bereaved  state,  we 
went  to  see  him  to-day.  His  only  daughter  was  with 
him  j  they  are  in  a  tender  state  of  mind,  prepared  to  re- 
ceive the  consolations  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  There 
were  some  other  young  persons  present,  and  we  had  a 
very  precious  season  before  the  Lord  ;  their  hearts  were 
tendered.  The  Count  appears  to  have  been  for  years  a 
man  of  piety ;  he  knows,  therefore,  where  to  flee  for 
help  and  consolation  in  time  of  affliction.  Among  those 
who  extend  great  kindness  to  us,  and  are  helpful  in  many 
respects,  are  John  Venning  and  Walter  his  brother. 
They  are  benevolent  men,  and  spend  much  of  their  time 
in  doing  good. 


S/X  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


121 


"  19th.  We  visited  the  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin, 
prime  minister  of  the  Emperor.  The  Prince  received 
us  with  an  open  heart ;  he  was  prepared  thus  to  wel- 
come us,  as  the  Emperor  had  given  him  an  account  of 
the  visit  we  paid  him  when  in  London.  '  The  Emperor/ 
said  he,  '  is  not  here  at  present,  and  it  will  be  some 
weeks  before  his  return;  but  here  is  a  letter  I  have  just 
received  from  him,  in  which  he  says  you  were  soon  ex- 
pected to  arrive  in  Petersburg,  and  he  charges  me  to 
treat  you  as  his  friends,  and  to  detain  you  here  till  his 
return.'  The  Prince  inquired  into  the  nature  of  our 
religious  prospects,  and  how  he  could  in  anywise  assist 
us.  We  gave  him  our  certificates,  the  reading  of  Avhich 
pleased  him  much.  In  the  love  of  Christ  towards  them 
I  communicated  a  little  out  of  the  overflowing  of  my 
soul.  Before  we  separated,  the  Prince  kindly  offered  us 
free  access  to  whatever  place  we  might  feel  ourselves  dis- 
posed to  visit,  prisons,  poorhouses,  etc. 

"  We  went  to  see  the  Princess  Metchersky.  She  is  a 
woman  of  superior  mental  abilities,  greatly  improved  and 
directed  to  the  right  channel  for  usefulness  by  the  grace 
and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  As  she  is  well 
acquainted  with  several  languages — French,  English, 
German,  etc., — she  has  been  much  engaged  in  translat- 
ing several  works  and  religious  tracts  into  the  Russian 
language  ;  she  has  them  printed  and  widely  circulated  in 
this  vast  empire.  She  was  an  instrument  in  the  Lord's 
hands  in  fostering  religious  impressions  in  the  mind  of 
the  Emperor,  when  he  first  came  under  the  powerful 
convictions  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth.  As  a  proof  that  the 
Emperor  is  in  the  daily  practice  of  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures, she  stated  to  us  that  some  years  since  they  agreed 
to  begin  to  read  the  Bible  at  the  same  time,  one  chapter 
of  the  Old  Testament  in  the  morning,  and  another  of 
the  New  Testament  in  the  evening,  that,  however  far 


122 


STEPHEN  CRELLET. 


separated,  they  might  both  every  day  read  the  same 
chapter ;  and  as  they  correspond,  the  Emperor  in  his 
letters  often  alludes  to  the  particular  religious  impres- 
sions made  on  his  mind  by  his  reading  that  day;  by 
which  she  knows  that  he  continues  the  practice.  He 
wishes  her  to  translate  and  print  the  excellent  work  of 
William  Penn,  called  '  No  Cross,  No  Crown ' ;  believing 
that  it  would  be  highly  beneficial,  especially  to  those 
of  high  rank  in  the  empire.  Our  next  visit  was  to  the 
Minister  of  the  Interior ;  his  wife  is  seriously  disposed, 
as  also  appears  to  be  the  Princess  Shabatoff,  who  resides 
with  them. 

"  9th.  Yesterday  and  to-day  have  been  under  sore 
distress  from  what  we  have  seen  and  felt  in  the  abodes 
of  wretchedness  and  misery.  The  prison  near  the 
Admiralty  is  so  filthy,  and  the  air  so  impure,  that  it 
much  affected  body  and  mind.  The  prisoners,  by  their 
emaciated  countenances,  show  that  they  also  suffer  by  it. 
Ten  of  them  were  fastened,  two  and  two,  to  a  long 
chain,  marching  out  to  Siberia;  what  sufferings  must 
these  poor  creatures  have  to  endure,  during  so  long  a 
journey,  to  be  performed  on  foot,  and  in  the  severity  of 
a  winter  like  this  !  May  the  Lord  be  pleased  to  open 
our  way,  in  due  time,  to  plead  for  so  many  sufferers, 
that  their  distress  may  be  relieved.  Among  other 
places  we  visited  the  houses  of  correction  (it  should 
rather  be  houses  of  misery),  poorhouses,  and  also  their 
great  hospital.  To  some  of  these  poor  sufferers  we  were 
enabled  to  administer  the  consolations  of  the  gospel, 
and  we  found  broken  and  contrite  spirits  prepared  to 
receive  our  testimony. 

"  14th.  Our  engagements  have  continued  to  be 
among  the  poor,  and  in  visiting  several  schools.  The 
Prince  Alexander  has  encouraged  us  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Michael,  the  Metropolitan  of  the  Greek  Church,  and 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


123 


kindly  oftered  to  make  way  for  it.  We  accordingly  went 
to  his  residence  this  afternoon.  The  monastery  is  called 
'  Alexander  Nevsky.'  It  is  about  three  miles  out  of 
town,  and  is  a  great  mass  of  buildings.  The  Metro- 
politan, to  receive  us  simply  attired  Quakers,  had  put 
on  his  rich  pontifical  garments ;  under  his  large  pui^ple 
robe  was  a  richly  embroidered  garment ;  he  had  on  his 
head  a  white  tiara  or  mitre,  on  the  front  of  which  was  a 
cross  made  of  emeralds,  diamonds,  and  other  precious 
stones ;  from  a  golden  chain  on  his  neck  hung  a  fine 
picture  of  one  of  their  saints,  and  in  his  hands  was  a 
large  string  of  amber  beads.  He  received  us  with  much 
affability,  and  made  us  sit  down  by  him ;  he  soon  began 
to  inquire  of  our  religious  principles  and  practices,  and 
much  approved  of  our  reasons  for  not  conforming  to  the 
compliments,  language,  and  fashions  of  the  world  ;  the 
account  we  gave  him  of  the  Christian  discipline  exer- 
cised over  the  members  of  our  society  pleased  him 
much ;  he  inquired  also  into  our  manner  of  conducting 
our  religious  worship;  our  care  and  practice  in  the 
acknowledgment  of  our  ministers,  and  what  object  they 
have  in  going  abroad  in  the  service  of  the  gospel.  We 
gave  him  the  perusal  of  our  certificates ;  he  then  said 
that  he  had  not  heard  of  any  people  acting  on  grounds 
so  scriptural,  and  conformable  to  ancient  apostolic  prac- 
tice. We  could  not  help,  in  allusion  to  some  of  the 
subjects  that  were  treated  upon,  contrasting  his  rich 
attire  with  our  simple  one,  and  their  pompous  way  of 
worship  with  the  simplicity  of  ours.  AVe  made  several 
attempts  to  withdraw,  but  he  evidently  wished  to  have 
further  conversation  with  us  ;  ordered  tea  to  be  brought 
in ;  and  finally,  on  parting,  he  accompanied  us  to  the 
door  of  the  outer  room,  and,  taking  us  by  the  hand, 
desired  that  we  might  remember  one  another  in  our 
prayers. 


124 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


"  A\'e  went  thence  to  see  Philaret,  who  is  an  Arch- 
bishop and  Vicar  of  the  Metropolitan.  His  habitation 
is  also  in  the  monastery.  His  apartment  is  of  great 
simplicity,  like  the  cell  of  a  monk  ;  the  little  furniture  in 
it  corresponds  therewith  ;  his  dress  is  the  same  that  the 
Greek  clergy  have  worn  for  several  ages — a  black  gown, 
ecclesiastic  cap  on  his  head,  a  long  beard,  and  his  long 
hair  hanging  on  his  shoulders.  He  is  a  man  of  learning, 
acquainted  with  most  of  the  ancient  and  modern  oriental 
languages  ;  but  he  bears  the  marks  of  great  humility, 
and  is  considered  a  man  of  piety  and  spiritual  minded- 
ness.  From  what  passed  during  the  long  opportunity 
we  had  with  him,  he  deserves  such  a  character.  He 
stated  that  the  knowledge  of  ancient  languages  may 
facilitate  the  understanding  of  the  words  written,  but 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  alone  can  give  a  right  knowledge 
of  the  things  of  God  ;  for  they  can  only  be  spiritually 
discerned.  In  a  very  modest  manner,  he  said  that  he 
should  wish  to  know  why  we  declined  the  practice,  so 
general  among  the  Christian  churches,  of  partaking  of 
the  communion,  or,  as  he  called  it,  the  eucharist.  After 
stating  to  him  what  we  apprehend  constitutes  the  real 
Christian,  according  to  the  definition  given  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, '  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature,' 
we  described  what  this  new  birth  or  new  man  is ;  then 
we  proceeded  to  answer  his  question,  showing  what 
bread,  living  bread,  the  Christian  is  to  feed  upon — in 
reality  and  not  in  shadows  ;  that  to  live  on  Christ, 
through  His  Spirit,  is  the  only  living  bread  of  the  soul  ; 
it  is  the  only  food  that  nourishes  it  unto  eternal  life.  On 
which  he  said  :  '  We  have  had  hermits  amongst  us,  who, 
from  various  causes,  have  lived  entirely  secluded  from 
the  world,  to  whom  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
participate  in  the  outward  communion  of  bread  and 
wine,  or  in  any  of  the  ceremonies  in  the  worship  of  God 


S/X  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


125 


or  other  like  practices,  but  who,  nevertheless,  in  their 
solitude  did  really  feed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  His 
Spirit,  through  living  faith  in  Him  ;  they  had  no  places 
of  worship  to  resort  to,  no  man  to  minister  to  them,  but 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Minister  of  the  Sanctuary,  was 
their  minister,  and  their  worship  was  in  spirit  and  in 
truth.'  Philaret  further  said  :  '  All  these  forms,  cere- 
monies, and  ordinances,  that  have  been  introduced  into 
the  churches,  though  they  be  performed  with  ever  so 
mucli  sincerity  and  devotion,  can  only  be,  as  the  law  was 
to  the  Jews,  "  a  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ." 
Ho  is  the  end  of  all  these  things  and  their  substance.' 
Philaret  has  been  a  useful  instrument  of  much  improve- 
ment among  the  clergy.  The  Emperor,  who  knows  his 
worth,  places  great  confidence  in  him ;  to  him,  there- 
fore, is  committed  chiefly  the  selection  of  suitable 
persons,  best  qualified  by  their  piety  to  fill  important 
places  in  tl^e  Greek  church,  and  at  the  head  of  their 
large  schools.  These  are  chiefly  composed  of  the  sons 
of  the  clergy ;  they  pass  from  these  schools  to  the 
clerical  office,  or  stations  in  the  civil  department ;  every 
one  intended  for  the  priesthood  must  marry  before  he 
can  be  ordained ;  but  when  he  loses  his  wife  by  death, 
he  cannot  marry  another ;  if  he  chooses,  he  can  retire  to 
a  monastery,  and  thus  become  eligible  for  a  higher 
station  in  the  church  than  simply  that  of  a  priest.  The 
monks  do  not  marry. 

"  22nd.  We  have  had  various  religious  opportunities. 
Some  of  these  were  held  at  our  lodgings,  where  Skotch- 
insky  has  brought  several  pious  persons  like  himself 
They  are  wearied  out  with  their  forms  and  ceremonies, 
and  seek  after  the  substantial  realities  of  religion.  Some 
of  them  speak  German,  and  have  gratefully  received 
religious  tracts  in  that  language.  We  have  visited 
several  of  these  people  in  their  families.     They  are 


125 


STEPHEN-  GRELT.ET. 


mostly  in  humble  life,  and  perhaps  better  prepared  to 
receive  the  simple  truths  of  the  gospel  with  readiness. 
There  are  some,  nevertheless,  of  a  higher  rank  whose 
hearts  appear  broken  down  by  the  power  of  Truth. 
This  day  we  had  an  agreeable  visit  from  Reichel,  a 
Moravian  bishop,  who,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  are 
on  their  way  to  Sarepta,  on  the  Caspian  Sea.  He  ap- 
pears to  be  a  humble  and  pious  man. 

"  23rd.  Spent  some  time  at  the  Senator  Hablltz's,  for 
the  second  time.  He  was  ambassador  to  Persia  for 
several  years,  and  has  returned  in  very  poor  health. 
He  now  feels  much  more  concerned  to  seek  after  the 
things  pertaining  to  his  soul's  salvation  than  the  politics 
of  this  world,  in  which  he  had  been  absorbed  for 
many  years  of  his  life.  We  were  met  there  by  Skotch- 
insky,  who  is  of  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  noble 
families  of  this  empire.  He  takes  great  interest  in  pri- 
sons and  schools,  and  he  wished  to  hear  our  observa- 
tions on  our  visits  to  those  places.  We  hope  he  may 
be  of  service  towards  the  removal  of  some  of  the  great 
miseries  that  we  have  beheld  in  many  of  these  places." 

At  this  time  Mr.  Grellet  writes  to  Mr.  William 
Dillwyn. 

"Petersburg,  23rd  of  Twelfth  Month,  i8t8. 
"  This  is  a  great  place,  the  capital  of  a  great  empire  ; 
though  we  see  that  much  is  to  be  done,  and  that  there 
is  an  open  door  with  many  precious  minds,  I  have 
never  entertained  any  prospect  of  our  doing  great 
things ;  yet  I  rejoice  in  the  humble  station  of  a  waterer. 
Divine  aid  is  afforded  to  diffuse  a  few  of  the  drops  that 
He  Himself  first  puts  into  the  vessel,  over  some  of  His 
precious  and  thirsty  plants,  to  whose  acquaintance  He 
brings  us.  From  the  accounts  some  may  have  of  our 
often  meeting  with  great  and  public  characters,  and  of 
the  open  door  that  the  dear  Master  has  been  pleased  to 


SLY  I\IONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


127 


set  before  us  in  many  of  them,  they  may  conclude  that 
we  ride  about  on  the  king's  horse;  but,  from  the  exalted 
state  in  which  Mordecai  appeared  placed,  he  saw  and 
felt  full  well  the  humble  station  he  must  speedily  re- 
sume. Though  there  is  an  outside  washing  and  anoint- 
ing, yet  the  sackcloth  may  remain  underneath  ;  and,  as 
to  myself,  I  see  very  little  prospect  of  its  being  loosened 
from  my  loins  so  long  as  I  continue  in  this  mutable 
state.  But  do  not  conclude  from  this  that  I  repine  in 
any  degree,  as  complaining  of  my  allotted  portion  ;  for 
contrariwise,  I  may  even  now,  as  frequently,  through  the 
mournful  days  of  my  pilgrimage,  '  with  the  voice  of 
thanksgivings  and  praises  publish  the  Lord's  wondrous 
works.'  They  have  been  marvellously  displayed  on  our 
behalf,  poor  solitary  pair  as  we  often  feel  to  be,  when 
going  from  city  to  city,  and  from  nation  to  nation." 
The  Journal  proceeds  : 

"  24th.  My  beloved  friend,  William  Allen,  being  un- 
well, I  went  alone  to  Ochta,  to  attend  the  meeting 
there.  I  walked  the  whole  distance,  going  and  return- 
ing, and  enjoyed  the  retirement  of  the  walk ;  the  blessed 
Master  condescended,  in  mercy,  to  be  with  me  in  the 
way,  and  to  enable  me  to  renew  my  covenant  with  Him. 
He  has  also  renewed  my  faith  in  His  promise  that  He 
would  lead  me  and  protect  me  in  the  path  of  duty.  Our 
meeting  at  Ochta  was  owned  by  His  Divine  presence. 
We  are  permitted  to  have  many  seasons  of  refreshment 
from  the  Lord  with  our  dear  friend  Daniel  Wheeler  and 
his  family.  Our  fellowshij2^L^sj)irit^  Js_^^  This 
evening  I  spent  a  little  time  ;,t  Count  Lieven's  with  his 
family,  which  leaves  a  precious  savour  on  my  mind. 

"  2gth.  We  have  passed,  this  morning,  about  two  hours 
with  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin,  which  we  generally  do 
every  Second-day  morning,  from  nine  to  eleven  o'clock, 
for  the  purpose  of  religious  retirement,  and  to  wait 


128 


STEPHEN  OREL  LET. 


together  on  the  Lord  ;  or  for  mutual  rehgious  edifica- 
tion. We  have  also  frequent  seasons  of  this  sort  with 
the  Princess  Metchersky,  her  sister  the  Princess  Sophia, 
and  several  others,  both  those  in  high  rank  and  of  the 
poorer  class.  The  Lord  is  no  respecter  of  persons  ; 
He  is  good  to  all  that  seek  Him,  and  to  all  that  call 
upon  Him. 

"  31st.  We  had  a  visit  from  five  pious  persons  ;  one 
is  called  a  General.  Three  of  them  appear  to  be  men  of 
meek  and  quiet  spirits,  who  have  withdrawn  from  out- 
ward forms  of  worship  and  ceremonies,  and  seek  for 
God  in  the  temple  of  their  hearts.  We  had  a  satis- 
factory time  together. 

"  Ninth  of  First  Month,  1819.  The  last  few  days  we 
have  been  very  closely  engaged  in  visiting  various  exten- 
sive public  institutions,  mostly  under  the  care  of  the 
Empress-mother.  Among  these  are  retreats  for  poor 
widows  ;  hospitals  ;  and  a  deaf  and  dumb  establishment, 
an  institution  for  about  two  thousand  children,  where 
every  care  in  a  moral  and  physical  sense  appears  to  be 
bestowed.  The  foundling  hospital  is  also  on  a  very 
extensive  scale ;  at  a  proper  age  the  children  are  well 
instructed;  some  receive  a  complete  education,  others 
learn  a  variety  of  useful  trades.  In  these  visits  we  were 
accompanied  by  Prince  Galitzin,  uncle  of  Prince  Alex- 
ander. He  has  the  general  oversight  of  all  these  insti- 
tutions of  the  Empress-mother,  and  has  readily  made 
way  for  our  having  religious  opportunities  whenever  we 
felt  it  our  duty. 

"nth.  The  Emperor,  who  was  absent,  has  now 
returned  to  Petersburg,  and  sends  us  word  by  the  Prince 
Alexander  Galitzin  that,  as  soon  as  he  can  make  way 
for  it,  he  wishes  to  see  us. 

"  15  th.  Accompanied  by  Skotchinsky,  we  visited  some 
poor  pious  families,  among  whom  we  have  found  Chris- 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


129 


tian  faitli  exemplified.  We  had  also  a  solemn  season 
with  a  young  man,  who,  constrained  by  Divine  love, 
has  left  bright  prospects  in  the  world  to  go  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  Siberia  ;  he  feels  much  for  the  prisoners  sent 
there,  and  for  the  pagan  nations  thereabouts  ;  he  is  now 
endeavouring  to  acquire  their  language,  and  has  begun 
the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  to  take  with  him  ; 
it  is  to  be  printed  at  the  Bible  House  here,  where  they 
have  in  the  press,  or  are  preparing  to  print,  the  Scrip- 
tures in  twenty-eight  different  languages. 

"  On  our  return  to  our  lodgings  we  found  a  messenger 
from  the  Emperor  waiting  for  us,  with  the  information 
that  he  would  receive  a  visit  from  us  at  six  this  evening. 
At  the  hour  appointed  another  messenger  came  to  show 
us  the  way  to  the  private  apartments  of  the  Emperor. 
We  found  him  alone,  and  he  received  us  with  great 
affability,  '  Like  old  friends,'  he  said.  He  made  us  sit 
down  on  a  sofa  on  each  side  of  him,  and  recurred  feel- 
ingly to  the  visit  we  paid  him  in  London,  by  which,  he 
said,  his  mind  was  encouraged  and  strengthened  under 
the  trying  circumstances  then  attending  him.  He  made 
many  inquiries  of  a  religious  character,  which  evinced  his 
concern  to  obtain  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  blessed 
Truth ;  he  has  a  good  understanding  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  clear  views  of  that  salvation  which  is  through  faith 
in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  whose  grace  and  merits 
alone  he  trusts.  The  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  a 
subject  on  which  he  appears  to  delight  to  dwell,  being, 
as  he  calls  it,  one  of  the  corner  stones  of  the  Christian 
religion,  for  if  a  man  has  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ  he  is 
none  of  His  ;  and  if  the  things  of  God  can  only  be 
known  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  then  what  hope  of  salvation 
can  a  man  have  who  disregards  that  Spirit  ?  He  in- 
quired of  the  nature  of  our  various  religious  engagements 
since  we  had  come  into  Russia,  and  in  what  state  we 

K 


STEniEN  GRELLE7. 


had  found  the  public  establishments,  particularly  the 
prisons.  We  were  glad  to  have  the  opportunity  to  ac- 
quaint him  with  the  wretched  situation  of  several  of 
these,  and  of  the  poorhouses  also.  We  alluded  espe- 
cially to  the  prison  at  Abo  :  we  showed  him  the  sketch, 
taken  there,  of  a  man  with  his  fetters  upon  him.  The 
Emperor  was  much  affected,  and  said,  'These  things 
ought  not  to  be  ;  they  shall  not  continue  so.'  We  also 
represented  the  case  of  the  man  there  who  had  borne 
these  heavy  chains  eighteen  years  for  having  threatened, 
in  an  unguarded  moment,  to  strike  his  mother.  The 
Emperor  appears  to  be  much  interested  in  the  subject  of 
public  education ;  we  therefore  told  him  of  the  visit  we 
made  to  the  Lancastrian  school,  and  how  greatly  pained 
we  had  been  in  noticing  there,  and  at  the  printing 
office,  that  their  lessons  were  a  selection  of  sentiments 
calculated  to  demoralize  the  people,  and  bring  them  into 
a  far  worse  state  than  that  in  which  their  ignorance  places 
them  at  present ;  that,  on  this  account,  we  had  been  in- 
duced to  begin  to  prepare  a  selection  from  the  Scriptures, 
under  the  name  of  '  Scripture  Lessons,'  and  we  gave  him 
an  outline  of  the  contents  of  the  little  work.  The  Emperor 
remained  a  few  moments  absorbed  in  thoughtfulness,  and 
then  said :  '  You  have  done  the  very  thing  that  I  was 
anxious  should  be  done;  I  had  for  a  long  time  been 
contemplating  how  that  mighty  engine,  general  public 
education,  might  be  used  for  the  promotion  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  by  bringing  the  people  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  dear  Redeemer,  and  to  the  practice  of  Christian 
virtues  ;  send  me  immediately  what  you  have  prepared.' 

"  The  Emperor  spoke  in  strong  terms  of  his  regard  for 
Daniel  Wheeler,  and  considered  his  coming  to  Russia 
a  blessing  to  the  people.  '  It  was  not,'  he  said,  '  the 
cultivation  of  morasses,  nor  any  outward  object,  that  led 
me  to  wish  to  have  some  of  your  Friends  come  and 


SLY  MONTHS  IM  RUSSIA. 


settle  here,  but  a  desire  that,  by  their  genuine  piety  and 
uprightness  in  life  and  conversation,  an  example  may  be 
set  before  my  people  for  them  to  imitate  ;  and  your  friend 
Wheeler  sets  such  an  example.'  After  this  he  said, 
'  Before  we  separate  for  the  present,  let  us  spend  a  short 
time  in  religious  retirement  together.'  We  were  disposed 
to  do  so,  for  we  felt  the  Lord's  presence  and  power  very 
near ;  we  continued  for  a  time  in  solemn  silence ;  our 
spirits  were  contrited  together ;  after  awhile,  feeling  my 
mind  clothed  with  the  spirit  of  prayer  and  supplication,  I 
bowed  before  the  Divine  Majesty  on  my  knees,  the  Em- 
peror kneeled  by  my  side  ;  we  had  a  grateful  sense  that 
the  Lord  condescended  gi'aciously  to  hear  our  prayers. 
When  we  retired  the  Emperor  expressed  a  desire  shortly 
to  see  us  again.    We  were  about  two  hours  with  him. 

"  13th.  Our  departure  appearing  to  be  at  hand  has 
brought  us  under  very  close  engagements  during  these 
last  days ;  we  have  had  many  services  of  a  public  and 
more  private  character ;  some  of  these  partings,  which 
most  probably  are  a  final  separation  from  one  another, 
have  been  very  solemn ;  we  rejoice  that  we  can  entertain 
the  hope,  that  we  leave  behind  us  a  seed  that  the  Lord 
has  visited.  Many  of  our  private  opportunities  are  also 
tendering  seasons ;  the  one  we  had  this  evening  with  the 
Emperor  was  particularly  so.  Having  sent  us  informa- 
tion that  he  would  be  pleased  to  see  us,  we  went  at  the 
hour  appointed.  He  again  received  us  in  his  own  apart- 
ment, to  which  we  went  by  a  private  door  and  staircase, 
without  passing  among  the  guards,  or  the  persons  attend- 
ing at  the  palace.  He  received  us  with  cordiality  as 
before.  One  of  the  first  things  he  said  was  that  the 
chains  we  saw  on  the  prisoners  at  Abo  were  now  re- 
moved, and  that  the  man  we  told  him  of,  who  had  been 
eighteen  years  loaded  with  fetters,  was  now  liberated, 
and  orders  were  given  for  the  better  treatment  of  the 


132 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


prisoners  generally.  He  requested  also  that,  in  the 
course  of  our  visit  through  Russia,  we  would  communi- 
cate directly  to  him  whatever  we  might  notice  in  the 
prisons,  or  other  places,  that  we  might  think  proper  to 
bring  before  him.  The  Military  Governor  had  related  to 
him  what  we  had  said  of  the  improvements  that  might 
be  made  in  the  prisons  in  Petersburg,  and  he  was  pleased 
that  the  Governor  had  so  speedily  attended  to  it ;  he 
added  that  the  Empress,  his  mother,  had  given  him 
some  relation  of  the  visit  we  had  made  to  her,  with 
which  she  had  been  very  much  pleased.  She  told  him 
what  had  been  said  respecting  the  neglected  education 
of  the  daughters  of  the  poor,  which  she  had  taken  much 
to  heart,  and  he  also  felt  so  much  the  necessity  of  a 
speedy  remedy,  that  yesterday  he  made  appropriation  of 
money  sufficient  to  establish  and  support  six  schools  for 
that  class  in  this  city,  so  that  they  might  receive  a 
virtuous  and  religious  education.  He  said  he  had  care- 
fully looked  over  the  Scripture  Lessons  that  we  had  pre- 
pared, and  was  delighted  with  them  ;  that  had  we  come 
to  Russia  for  no  other  service  than  this,  it  was  accom- 
plishing an  important  work  ;  that  he  would  have  these 
Lessons  introduced  for  the  use  of  all  the  schools  in  his 
dominions.  He  also  gave  us  an  account  of  the  manner 
in  which  he  was  educated  from  a  child,  under  the  care  of 
his  grandmother,  the  Empress  Catherine.  The  tutors 
placed  over  him,  he  says,  were  men  possessed  of  some 
good  qualities,  but  they  were  not  Christian  believers, 
consequently  his  early  education  was  calculated  to 
estrange  him  from  serious  impressions;  and  yet,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Greek  Church,  he  was  trained  up  in  the 
habit  of  repeating  some  formal  prayers  morning  and 
evening,  but  he  disliked  the  practice  of  it ;  several  times, 
however,  after  having  gone  to  rest,  he  so  strongly  felt 
the  convictions  of  sin  for  the  impropriety  of  some  parts 


S/X  MONTHS  LV  RUSSIA. 


133 


of  his  conduct  during  the  day,  that  he  was  constrained  to 
rise  from  his  bed,  and  on  his  knees  with  tears  to  entreat 
the  Lord's  forgiveness,  and  strength  to  act  with  more 
watchfulness.  These  strong  convictions  continued  with 
him  for  a  length  of  time  :  but,  by  degrees,  for  want  of 
attending  to  them,  they  became  more  and  more  faint : 
with  dissipation,  sin  gained  more  and  more  ascendancy 
over  him  ;  but  in  the  year  181 2  the  Lord's  visitation  in  love 
and  mercy  was  renewedly  extended  to  him  in  a  powerful 
manner.  It  was  about  that  time  that  a  pious  person  (it 
was  the  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin,  who  had  been  brought 
up  with  him)  recommended  him  to  read  the  Scriptures, 
and  gave  him  a  Bible,  which  he  had  not  seen  before.  '  I 
devoured  it,'  said  the  Emperor,  '  finding  in  it  words  so 
suitable  to,  and  descriptive  of,  the  state  of  my  mind.  The 
Lord  by  His  Divine  Spirit  was  also  pleased  to  give  me 
an  understanding  of  what  I  read  therein ;  it  is  to  this 
inward  Teacher  alone  that  I  am  indebted  ;  therefore  I 
consider  Divine  inspiration,  or  the  teachings  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  as  the  sure  foundation  of  saving  knowledge.' 

"  He  said  much  more  on  these  subjects  in  a  feeling 
manner.  We  entered  pretty  fully  into  the  nature  of 
the  peaceable  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  to  what  the 
Spirit  of  the  dear  Redeemer,  who  is  Love,  would  lead 
all  those  who  are  obedient  to  His  dictates  ;  on  which  he 
stated  how  great  his  soul's  travail  had  been  that  wars 
and  bloodshed  might  cease  for  ever  from  the  earth ;  that 
he  had  passed  sleepless  nights  on  account  of  it,  deeply 
deploring  the  woes  and  misery  brought  on  humanity  by 
war ;  and  that  whilst  his  mind  was  bowed  before  the  Lord 
in  prayer,  the  plan  of  all  the  crowned  heads  joining  in 
the  conclusion  to  submit  to  arbitration  whatever  differ- 
ences might  arise  among  them,  instead  of  resorting  to 
the  sword,  had  presented  itself  to  his  mind  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  rose  from  his  bed,  and  wrote  what  he 


134 


STEPHEN'  GRELLET. 


then  so  sensibly  felt ;  that  his  intentions  had  been  mis- 
understood or  misrepresented  by  some,  but  that  love  to 
God  and  to  man  was  his  only  motive  in  the  Divine  sight. 
He  was  in  Paris  at  the  time  he  formed  that  plan. 

"We  had  spent  a  considerable  time  conversing  on  these 
very  important  subjects,  when  he  said,  'We  are  then  going 
to  be  soon  separated  in  this  world,  but  I  am  a  full  believer 
that,  through  the  Lord's  Spirit,  we  may,  though  separated 
one  from  another,  feel  tlie  fellowship  and  communion  of 
spirit ;  for  with  the  Lord  there  is  no  limitation  of  space.' 
He  requested  that  we  would  write  to  him  as  a  Christian 
friend,  through  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin.  '  Finally,'  said 
he,  '  I  have  one  more  request  to  make,  that,  before  we 
separate,  we  silently  unite  once  more  in  waiting  on 
the  Lord,  ii  so  be  that  He  condescend  to  give  us  a 
manifestation  of  His  Divine  Life  and  presence,  as  He 
did  on  former  occasions.'  We  were  prepared  to  accede 
to  his  request,  for  we  felt  in  a  precious  manner  the  wings 
of  heavenly  love  to  be  stretched  over  us.  The  Lord 
was  present  during  a  solemn  silence  that  came  over  us  ; 
our  souls  were  very  reverently  prostrated  before  Him ; 
He  Himself  ministering  to  us  in  a  most  gracious  manner. 
After  a  while,  in  the  love  of  Christ,  I  felt  constrained  to 
impart  a  few  words  to  the  Emperor  for  his  encourage- 
ment, that  he  may  hold  fast  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord  unto 
the  end,  fully  relying  on  the  efficacy  of  His  Divine  grace 
to  preserve  him  from  all  evil,  and  to  strengthen  him  for 
every  good  work.  He  was  bathed  in  tears  ;  then  dear 
Allen,  on  bended  knees,  supplicated  the  Lord  on  his  be- 
half, and  that  of  his  people.  The  Emperor,  who  had 
kneeled  by  him,  continued  some  time  thus  prostrated, 
after  William  had  ceased  utterance.  It  is  very  humbling 
and  wonderful  to  me,  to  see  how  the  Lord  has  opened  a 
way  in  these  nations  where  I  saw  none  at  all ;  truly  the 
promise,  '  the  Lord  will  provide,'  has  been  fulfilled  in  a 


SLY  MONTHS  IX  RUSSIA. 


135 


remarkable  manner ;  besides,  a  door,  towards  the  further 
labours  of  love  that  may  be  required  of  us  in  this 
empire,  is  now  open,  so  far  at  least  as  this  can  be 
effected  by  the  good  will  of  the  Emperor ;  but  to  the 
Lord  alone  we  must  look  to  give  us  an  entrance  into  the 
hearts  of  those  we  may  visit,  to  send  forth  His  help  to 
us,  and  His  blessing  on  our  feeble  efforts  to  advocate 
His  blessed  Truth. 

"  15th.  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin  sent  us  a  message 
last  evening  that  the  Empress  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  the 
Emperor,  wished  to  see  us  this  forenoon,  if  we  could 
possibly  spare  a  little  of  our  time  to  her.  We  went  to 
the  palace  this  morning,  and  she  received  us  in  her 
private  apartment  in  a  very  modest  manner,  even  apolo- 
gizing for  her  request  to  us  to  come  to  see  her ;  she  had 
for  some  time  wished  for  such  an  interview,  but  had  been 
fearful  to  propose  it ;  what  she  had  heard  of  my  visit  at 
Carlsruhe  made  her  regret  not  to  have  seen  me  there  ; 
and  now  what  the  Emperor  told  her  of  us  induced  her 
to  request  this  visit.  Her  heart  was  tender,  and  pre- 
pared of  the  Lord  to  receive  what,  in  His  love  and  coun- 
sel, we  felt  it  to  be  our  religious  duty  to  impart  to  her ; 
she  was  bathed  in  tears.  From  what  she  told  us  it  is 
evident  that  Jesus,  the  Saviour,  is  precious  to  her ;  she  is 
of  a  retired  character ;  is  seldom  seen  in  public  when  she 
can  avoid  it ;  her  dress  generally  is  very  simple  ;  when 
she  goes  out  she  has  only  a  plain  two-horse  carriage, 
with  the  simple  cipher  E  upon  it,  whereas  all  the  nobles 
have  generally  four  horses  to  their  equipages ;  the  Em- 
press mother  has  six.  The  Empress  Elizabeth  told  us 
how  frequently  she  envied  the  humble  station  in  life  of 
those  maidens  who  carry  the  milk  about  Petersburg, 
in  order  that  she  might  live  in  privacy  and  religious  re- 
tirement, which  she  has  not  in  her  power  to  do  now. 
This  has  been  a  very  satisfactory  visit. 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


"We  dined  at  John  Venning's  ;  none  were  present  be- 
sides his  family,  and  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin,  Papoff, 
Paterson,  and  the  widow  of  a  pious  clergyman,  who  is 
now  the  companion  of  the  Empress  Elizabeth  ;  through 
the  Emperor  she  had  heard  we  were  to  dine  here,  and 
had  invited  herself,  as  she  said,  though  she  is  a  frequent 
visitor  at  the  Vennings'.  She  is  a  pious  woman,  who 
has  learned  both  in  the  school  of  affliction  and  in  that  of 
Christ ;  the  Empress  is  much  attached  to  her.  The 
Prince  gave  us  several  more  interesting  particulars  re- 
specting the  Emperor ;  among  others,  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  renewing  of  those  religious 
impressions  that  of  latter  years  have  been  of  an  abiding 
nature  with  him.  When  the  information  was  received 
at  Petersburg  that  the  armies  of  Napoleon  had  entered 
Moscow,  a  general  panic  came  upon  the  inhabitants,  and 
they  packed  up  their  valuables  to  take  their  flight  into 
some  more  secure  place ;  for  they  expected  the  French 
would  soon  march  for  that  city.  The  Emperor  was 
preparing  to  go  with  the  body  of  troops  collected  there 
to  oppose  them.  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin  had  at  that 
time  many  men  employed  in  repairing  his  palace,  which 
he  continued  calmly  to  go  on  with,  while  so  many  others 
were  panic-stricken.  Some  envious  persons  told  the 
Emperor  what  he  was  doing,  and  that  he  must  be  a 
traitor.  He  went  to  the  Prince,  and  queried,  '  Galitzin, 
what  are  you  doing  ?  what  means  all  this  ?  every  one 
prepares  to  flee,  and  you  are  building?'  'Oh,'  said 
the  Prince,  '  I  am  here  in  as  sure  a  place  of  safety  as 
any  I  could  flee  to ;  the  Lord  is  my  defence,  in  Him  I 
trust.'  'Whence  have  you  such  confidence?'  replied 
the  Emperor,  'who  assures  you  of  it?'  'I  feel  it  in 
my  heart,'  answered  the  Prince,  '  and  it  is  also  stated 
in  this  Divinely  inspired  volume ' — holding  forth  the 
Bible  to  the  Emperor.    By  some  inadvertent  motion  of 


SLY  iMONTIIS  LV  RUSSIA. 


137 


the  hand,  the  Bible  fell  upon  the  floor — open.  '  Well, 
permit  me,'  said  the  Prince,  '  to  read  to  you  in  that  very- 
place  on  which  the  Bible  lies  open  before  us.'  It  was 
the  ninety-first  Psalm ;  on  hearing  which,  the  Emperor 
stood  for  a  while  like  a  man  astonished.  The  army, 
during  that  time,  was  marching  out  of  the  city.  It  is  the 
usual  practice  on  such  occasions,  or  when  the  Emperor 
is  to  be  absent  for  a  length  of  time,  that  the  last  place 
he  leaves  is  their  great  church.  He  repaired  thither  ;  the 
portion  of  Scripture  read  on  the  occasion  was  again  the 
ninety-first  Psalm.  The  Emperor  sent  for  the  priest,  and 
queried,  '  Who  told  you  to  make  choice  of  that  particular 
passage  ot  Scripture,  this  day?'  He  replied,  'That 
nobody  had  told  him,  but  that  he  had  desired  in  prayer 
that  the  Lord  would  direct  him  to  the  particular  portion 
of  the  inspired  volume  he  should  read,  to  encourage 
the  Emperor,  and  that  he  apprehended  that  psalm  was 
the  word  of  the  Lord  to  him.'  The  Emperor  proceeded 
some  distance  on  his  way ;  and  late  in  the  evening  he 
felt  his  mind  under  great  seriousness,  and  desired  that 
the  Bible  should  be  read  to  him.  When  the  person 
who  came  in  for  that  purpose  began,  he  also  read  the 
ninety-first  Psalm.  The  Emperor,  interrupting  him, 
queried,  '  Who  told  you  to  read  this  ?  has  Galitzin  told 
you  ?'  He  replied  that  he  had  not  seen  the  Prince,  nor 
had  any  one  told  him  what  to  read ;  but  that  on  being 
told  he  was  sent  for  to  read  to  the  Emperor  from  the 
Bible,  he  had  desired  that  the  Lord  would  direct  him  to 
what  was  most  appropriate  for  the  occasion,  and  accord- 
ingly he  had  selected  this  portion  of  Scripture.  The 
Emperor  felt  astonished  at  this,  and  paid  the  greater 
attention  to  what  was  read,  believing  that  this  must  be 
of  the  Lord's  ordering  ;  he  was  therefore  very  solemnly 
and  tenderly  impressed,  and  from  that  time  he  concluded, 
morning  and  evening,  to  read  privately  a  chapter  in  the 


138 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Bible.  He  was  the  next  day  with  the  Princess  Met- 
chersky,  at  Tver.  They  agreed  to  begin  the  Bible  to- 
gether, and  regularly  to  read  it  every  day,  so  that  they 
might  both  read  the  same  portion  on  the  same  day,  and 
be  able  to  communicate  to  one  another  the  particular 
impressions  or  reflections  the  reading  of  the  day  might 
have  produced.  The  Prince  tells  us  that  the  Emperor 
has  directed  proof  sheets  of  the  '  Scripture  Lessons '  to  be 
regularly  sent  us,  that  we  may  see  how  the  work  progresses. 

"  9th.  We  spent,  as  we  usually  do  once  a  week,  about 
two  hours  with  Prince  Alexander  Galitzin.  He  told  us 
that  the  Emperor  had  given  orders  for  the  immediate 
translation,  from  the  Slavonian  into  the  Russian  language, 
of  those  portions  of  the  Bible,  in  our  Scripture  Lessons, 
that  are  not  already  translated,  and  to  have  those  Les- 
sons immediately  printed.  The  New  Testament  in 
Russ  is  iioiv  printed,  but  the  Bible  is  not  yet  done,  the 
translation  not  being  completed.  The  Emperor  being 
apprised  that  the  time  of  our  departure  is  near,  has 
directed  the  Prince  to  have  letters  of  introduction  pre- 
pared for  us,  addressed  to  the  governors  of  the  provinces 
through  which  we  travel,  and  to  his  ambassadors  to  those 
nations  where  we  may  come,  recommending  us  to  them  ; 
the  expressions  used  by  the  Prince  are,  '  to  recommend 
you,  as  being  well  known  to  him,  the  Emperor.' " 

The  Memoirs  of  Mr.  Wheeler,  who  was  successfully 
conducting  the  drainage  works  at  Ochta,  have  been  pub- 
lished. During  four  of  the  darkest  months  of  the  year, 
he  says,  Messrs.  Grellet  and  Allen  ceased  not  to  hold  two 
meetings  a  week  in  his  room.  They  left  us  "  with  minds 
full  of  peace, — beloved  and  regretted  by  all  who  had  the 
happiness  of  becoming  acquainted  with  them.  The 
stream  of  gospel  love  which  was  at  seasons  permitted  to 
flow,  when  channels  were  open  to  receive  it,  has  made, 
I  believe,  an  impression  on  the  minds  of  some  which 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


139 


will  never  be  obliterated ;  and  has  clearly  evinced  whose 
servants  they  are  !  They  were,  I  think,  of  all  men  most 
fit  to  move  in  such  a  work,  in  such  a  place,  and  under 
such  circumstances." 

They  travelled  in  three  days  and  two  nights  to  Tver, 
where  they  had  "  interesting  engagements."  Thence  to 
Moscow,  where  a  still  wider  field  of  usefulness  claimed 
their  attention.  They  visited  prisons,  going  from  ward 
to  ward  ;  they  stood  by  the  bedside  of  wounded  soldiers 
in  hospitals  ;  they  conducted  services  in  retreats  for  the 
aged  poor ;  they  gathered  boys  around  them  in  chari- 
table schools ;  they  lingered  among  the  children  of  a 
foundling  hospital,  where  there  were  no  less  than  eight 
thousand  eight  hundred  children  indoors  and  out ;  ac- 
companied by  the  Governor  they  visited  houses  of  cor- 
rection and  workhouses ;  at  the  homes  of  the  ecclesi- 
astical dignitaries,  of  the  military  governor,  of  the  chief 
minister  of  police,  and  in  other  houses,  they  held  re- 
ligious meetings.  The  substance  of  their  testimony  was, 
— the  love  of  God  to  men,  and  that  "  all  outward  rites 
and  observances  are  but  forms,  Christ  and  His  Spirit 
are  the  substance  ;  this  we  must  press  after,  without  it 
nothing  else  can  avail  us." 

The  noteworthy  fact  of  these  extraordinary  labours  was 
their  quiet  unostentatious  nature,  and  that  they  followed 
one  another  in  such  ordered  sequence.  They  were  to 
many  persons  like  the  soft  breath  of  God's  south  wind 
after  a  long  frost-bound  winter. 

"21st.  We  were  again,"  says  the  Journal,  "with  the 
Prince  Sergius  Galitzin,  and  several  of  his  family ; 
some  of  the  subjects  introduced  by  the  Prince  were  the 
spirituality  of  religion.  Divine  worship,  saving  baptism, 
etc.  Among  those  present  was  a  Romish  priest,  who 
did  not  appear  pleased  with  the  matters  treated  upon  ; 
but,  though  showing  his  uneasiness,  he  kept  silence.  In 


140 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


the  evening  we  went  to  General  Gourard's.  We  met  the 
General  at  the  door,  going  out,  but  we  were  introduced 
to  his  wife's  apartments,  where  we  found  about  fifteen 
ladies  together.  On  our  first  coming  among  them,  total 
strangers  to  one  another,  our  minds  were  solemnized ;  a 
feeling  sense  was  given  that  the  Lord's  presence  was 
there ;  it  seemed  as  if  we  had  suddenly  come  into  a 
meeting  of  spiritually  minded  persons ;  very  few  words 
passed  between  us,  but  we  were  all  gathered  together  in- 
to solemn  silence  and  prostration  of  soul  before  God, 
evidently  '  drinking  together  into  the  one  Spirit.'  We 
had  continued  some  time  in  this  state,  when,  the  love  of 
Christ  the  dear  Redeemer  constraining  me,  I  began  to 
speak  as  by  His  Divine  Spirit  He  gave  me  utterance  : 
we  had  a  contriting  season  ;  indeed  I  have  seldom  known 
any  select  company  of  my  beloved  friends,  when  more 
of  the  Lord's  baptizing  power  has  been  felt  than  we 
then  witnessed  together.  After  the  conclusion  of  that 
solemn  meeting,  we  gave  some  account  of  ourselves  ;  for 
we  were  as  great  strangers  to  the  company  as  they  were 
to  us  ;  we  handed  to  the  mistress  of  the  house  the  letters 
we  had  for  her  from  the  Princess  Metchersky.  Among 
those  present  were  two  princesses  from  Georgia,  sent  to 
this  empire  as  hostages ;  another  is  the  Countess  Touts- 
chkoff,  and  two  of  her  sisters  ;  the  others  were  of  the  same 
rank.  They  are  in  the  practice  of  meeting  frequently 
together,  silently  to  wait  upon  the  Lord  ;  they  have  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  operations  of  His  Spirit,  and 
the  power  of  Truth,  under  which  they  have  witnessed  the 
one  baptism,  and  are  also  favoured  at  seasons  to  partake 
together  of  the  one  bread,  even  Christ  the  bread  of  life, 

"  The  Countess  Toutschkoff  gave  us  an  interesting 
narrative  of  the  manner  in  which  she  was  first  brought 
to  the  conviction  that  there  is  a  secret  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  the  heart  of  man.    The  impressions 


SIX  MONTHS  IN  RUSSIA. 


141 


made  upon  her  were  such  that  she  can  never  doubt  that 
it  was  the  Lord's  work.  It  occurred  about  three  months 
before  the  French  army  entered  Russia  ;  the  General,  her 
husband,  was  with  her,  on  their  estates  near  Toula ;  she 
dreamed  that  she  was  at  an  inn  in  a  town  unknown  to 
her,  that  her  father  came  into  her  chamber,  having  her 
only  son  by  the  hand,  and  said  to  her  in  a  most  pitiful 
tone,  '  all  thy  comforts  are  cut  off,  he  has  fallen  (mean- 
ing her  husband),  he  has  fallen  at  Borodino.'  She  woke 
in  great  distress,  but,  knowing  that  her  husband  was 
beside  her,  she  considered  it  as  a  dream,  and  tried  to 
compose  herself  again  to  sleep  ;  the  dream  was  repeated, 
and  attended  with  such  increased  distress  of  mind,  that 
it  was  a  long  time  before  she  could  rise  above  it  and 
fall  asleep  again.  A  third  time  she  dreamed  the  same  ; 
her  anguish  of  mind  was  then  such  that  she  woke  her 
husband  and  queried,  '  Where  is  Borodino  ? '  and  then 
mentioned  her  dream ;  he  could  not  tell  her  where  that 
place  was  ;  they  and  her  father  carefully  looked  over  the 
maps  of  the  country,  but  could  not  discover  any  such 
place.  It  was  then  but  an  obscure  spot,  but  has  since 
become  renowned  for  the  bloody  battle  fought  near  it. 
The  impressions,  however,  made  upon  the  Countess 
were  deep,  and  her  distress  great ;  she  considered  this 
as  a  warning  given  her  of  the  Lord,  that  great  afflictions 
were  to  come  upon  her,  under  which  she  believed  that 
His  Divine  grace  and  mercy  could  alone  sustain  her. 
From  that  period  her  views  of  the  world  became 
changed ;  things  that  belong  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul, 
hitherto  disregarded,  were  now  the  chief  object  of  her 
pursuit.  She  ceased  to  attend  places  of  diversion,  which 
formerly  had  been  her  delight ;  she  looked  forward  to 
see  what  the  Lord  would  do  with  her  ;  for  she  believed 
that  she  had  not  had  mere  dreams,  but  warnings,  through 
the  Lord's  Spirit,  of  what  was  impending  over  her.  At 


142 


STEriTEN  GRELLET. 


that  time  the  seat  of  war  was  far  off,  but  it  soon  drew 
near :  before  the  French  armies  entered  Moscow,  the 
General  Toutschkoff  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  army 
of  reserve  ;  and  one  morning  her  father,  having  her  little 
son  by  the  hand,  entered  the  chamber  of  the  inn  at 
which  she  was  staying ;  in  great  distress,  as  she  had 
beheld  him  in  her  dream,  he  cried  out,  '  He  has  fallen, 
he  has  fallen  at  Borodino.'  Then  she  saw  herself  in  the 
very  same  chamber,  and  through  the  windows  beheld  the 
very  same  objects  that  she  had  seen  in  her  dreams.  Her 
husband  was  one  of  the  many  who  perished  in  the  bloody 
battle,  fought  near  the  river  Borodino,  from  which  an 
obscure  village  takes  its  name. 

"  The  countess  said  that  the  impressions  made  upon 
her  that  the  Lord,  through  His  Spirit,  communicates  Him- 
self to  man,  became  strongly  confirmed ;  she  was  convinced 
that  there  is  a  sensible  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit ; 
she  endeavoured  to  attend  to  it ;  one  thing  after  another 
was  unfolded  to  her  of  the  '  deep  things  of  God '  and 
those  '  which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ' ;  and  it 
was  by  this  that  she  had  become  acquainted  with  the 
nature  of  spiritual  worship.  This  was  the  case  also  with 
her  two  sisters,  then  present ;  the  same  conviction  had 
beeii  wrought  on  the  minds  of  the  other  pious  females, 
through  the  immediate  operation  of  the  Lord's  Spirit  and 
power  ;  they  knew  it  to  be  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  Spirit 
of  Truth,  that  leads  into  all  truth.  The  Georgian  prin- 
cesses are  in  a  humble  and  tender  state  ;  we  were  indeed 
all  broken  and  contrited  together  before  the  Lord." 

Those  who  have  read  the  able  volumes  of  Mr.  Wallace 
on  Russia  will  remember  that  in  two  remarkable  chapters 
he  describes  groups  of  pious  persons,  who  in  these  days 
have  separated  themselves  from  the  ceremonial  obser- 
vances of  the  Greek  Church,  and  are  to  be  found  in 
almost  all  parts  of  the  empire.     A  still  newer  evan- 


SLY  MONT/7 S  LV  RUSSIA. 


H3 


gelical  movement  is  in  progress,  but  neither  of  these 
must  be  confounded  with  Nihilism. 

Nor  let  such  a  fragment  of  personal  history  as  that 
of  the  Countess  Toutschkoff  be  received  with  incredulity. 
No  doubt  there  is  in  some  persons  a  morbid  love  of 
the  marvellous.  But  a  creed  that  should  accept  nothing 
beyond  the  province  of  a  common  and  ordinary  ex- 
perience would  scarcely  be  a  creed.  Men  of  cool,  calm 
temperament,  who  have  had  much  intercourse  with  Chris- 
tianly  enlightened  and  pious  persons,  have  been  con- 
strained to  admit  the  direct  operations  of  a  preternatural 
power  in  the  awakening  of  men  to  the  realities  of  an 
vmseen  spiritual  world.  The  incredulity  as  to  these 
"  heavenly  visions "  may  be  a  deliberate  closing  of  the 
heart  to  incontestable  evidence.  Moreover,  a  time  like 
that  under  notice,  of  Napoleon's  march  to  Moscow,  was 
one  of  inconceivable  consternation.  He  came  as  the 
invincible,  at  the  head  of  nearly  half  a  million  of  men. 
At  such  a  period  there  were  compassionate  drawings 
and  movements  of  the  Divine  love,  not  conformable  to 
ordinary  methods.  "  God  fulfils  Himself  in  many  ways." 
Blessed  are  they  who  in  such  crises  permit  themselves 
to  be  led  in  the  darkness  by  the  loving  hand  of  their 
Father.    Happily  there  are  in  all  times  those, — 

"  Whose  hearts  are  fresh  and  simple, 
Who  have  faith  in  God  and  Nature  ; 
Who  believe  that  in  all  ages 
Every  human  heart  is  human  ; 
That  in  every  mortal  bosom 
There  are  longings,  yearnings,  strivings, 
For  the  good  they  comprehend  not  ; 
Tiiat  the  feeble  hands,  and  helpless, 
Groping  blindly  in  the  darkness, 
Touch  God's  right  hand  in  that  darkness, 
And  are  lifted  up  and  strengthened." 


CHAPTER  XII. 


VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE. 

THE  following  principles  may  better  enable  us  to 
understand  the  persuasive  fidelity  and  most  re- 
markable work  of  Mr.  Grellet  at  this  period  of  his 
history. 

He  writes  of  himself,  as  we  have  seen,  to  Mr.  Dillwyn 
as  filling  "  the  humble  station  of  a  waterer."  He  had  no 
exaggerated  expectations  of  the  entire  conversion  of 
cities  and  nations.  He  knew  that  Christianity  was 
placed  in  the  soil  of  humanity  as  a  living  seed,  and  he 
aimed  in  his  travels  through  the  European  kingdoms  to 
guard  and  promote  the  growth  of  that  seed.  While  his 
mission,  after  the  European  chaos  of  bloodshed,  over- 
turnings,  and  horrors,  was  largely  philanthropic,  he  knew 
that  through  the  ministration  of  the  gracious  Spirit  there 
were  in  every  nation  those  that  feared  God  and  worked 
righteousness,  and  his  object  continually  was  to  en- 
courage, confirm,  and  strengthen  the  faith  of  such. 

God  can  only  employ  such  instrumentality  as  is  in 
union  with  Himself  "  The  all  of  God — His  presence, 
wisdom,  and  power — dwells  more  than  anywhere  else  in 
the  nothing  of  the  creature."  By  this  is  not  meant  that 
the  servant  of  the  Lord  has  annihilated  his  will  and 
reason.  He  is  in  the  completest  possession  of  all  his 
faculties.  It  is  selfish  ends  and  ambitions  that  are 
annihilated  ;  his  eye  is  single,  and  his  whole  body  is  full 
of  light. 

The  Divine  love  is  not  a  name,  a  single  attribute.   It  is 

144 


VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE. 


145 


the  infinite  force  of  God  Himself.  It  is  tlie  atmosphere 
that  wraps  round  all  creatures.  Selfhood  cannot  per- 
ceive, cannot  receive,  that  love.  It  is  in  utter  con- 
trariety to  it.  But  where  selfhood  is  subdued,  and  the 
supremest  emotions  are  free  from  its  control,  then  the 
Divine  love  finds  an  agency  suitable  in  every  way  for  its 
propensions  and  actings  towards  the  lost  and  tempted 
human  race. 

The  obedience  of  one  who  has  waited  on  the  Lord,  that 
he  might  fulfil  not  his  own  purposes  but  God's,  has  in  it 
all  the  certainties  of  doing  the  will  of  God.  As  we  stand 
by  the  sea  watching  the  receding  tide,  we  soon  observe 
tlie  returning  flow  of  the  waters.  Silently  the  mighty 
ocean,  which  bears  fewer  marks  of  the  fall  than  the  land, 
has  heard  the  voice  of  the  great  Creator.  The  obedience 
is  most  exact,  instantaneous,  and  perfect.  The  sea  does 
not  deny  its  own  mighty  forces,  but  uses  them  and  keeps 
them  all  in  absolute  subjection  to  the  wise  and  bene- 
ficent will  of  God.  In  like  manner  man  becomes  effect- 
ive to  do  the  Lord's  work  as,  with  "quick  understanding 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,"  he  hearkens  to  and  unfalteringly 
obeys  His  holy  will.  Thus  with  Stephen  Grellet  as  with 
John,  mighty  works  showed  forth  themselves  in  him. ' 

It  may  be  held  that  he  must  have  had  most  accom- 
plished manners  and  cultured  suavity,  so  that  even  his 
Quaker  peculiarities  did  not  offend  distinguished  persons. 
This  is  true.  But  is  not  courtesy  and  gentlemanliness 
in  its  finest  tact  and  actings  the  fruit  of  the  indwelling 
Spirit?  The  Scriptures  mention  the  "gentleness"  of 
God  ;  the  apostle  Paul  besought  the  Corinthians  by  "  the 
meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ." 

Linked  in  closest  sympathy,  the  two  faithful  friends  left 
Russia  and  proceeded  southward.  A  long  and  arduous 
journey  lay  before  them.  Stopping  at  different  intervals 
in  some  of  the  towns  on  their  route,  they  visited  the 

L 


146 


STEriIRN  GRELLET. 


German  colonies  of  Mennonites,  on  the  left  shore  of  the 
Molotshnaia,  spent  some  time  among  the  truly  Christian 
Malakans,  and  the  neighbouring  settlement  of  the  Duho- 
bortzi,  and  then  crossed  the  steppe  from  Altona,  the  last 
establishment  of  the  Mennonites,  to  Perekop  and  the 
Crimea.  The  letters  of  introduction  with  which  they 
were  furnished  through  the  kindness  of  the  Emperor 
Alexander,  and  the  various  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
authorities  in  Petersburg,  opened  the  way  for  them 
wherever  they  came,  and  both  in  the  mansion  and  the 
prison  the  Lord  continued  to  prosper  their  labour  of  love. 

They  encouraged  on  their  way  Christian  witnesses  and 
bishops,  one  of  whom  represented  others  as  he  said 
"  This  is  one  of  the  most  precious  days  of  my  life,  my 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  is  greatly  confirmed."  They 
visited  schools  and  hospitals ;  they  mitigated  the  un- 
speakable tortures  of  prisoners  in  dungeons ;  they  bore 
testimony  against  the  evils  of  war  and  strong  drink  ;  they 
held  small  meetings,  whenever  permitted,  with  clergy  and 
piously  disposed  persons,  and  recommended  simplicity 
in  their  worship  and  manner  of  living.  During  the 
progress  of  this  journey  they  endured  great  incon- 
veniences and  privations.  In  the  Crimea  however,  and 
at  Sebastopol,  they  were  received  with  kindness  by  the 
admiral,  and  were  able  to  carry  forward  their  mission 
among  sailors,  soldiers,  and  prisoners. 

After  carefully  weighing  the  subject,  and  supplicating 
Divine  direction,  they  felt  it  right  to  proceed  over  the 
Black  Sea  to  Constantinople.  Stephen  Grellet  says  as  he 
approached  the  city  of  the  Crescent :  "  I  spent  a  night  ot 
watchfulness  unto  prayer,  like  Jacob,  wrestling  the  whole 
night  for  the  Lord's  blessing,  and  towards  morning  the 
light  of  His  countenance  did  very  graciously  arise  upon 
me.  My  trust  and  confidence  are  renewed  in  Him, 
blessed  and  praised  be  His  adorable  name  !  " 


VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE. 


147 


Mr.  T.  W.  Black,  a  mercliant,  came  on  board  the  Lord 
Cafhcart  to  welcome  tliem.  Sir  Robert  Liston  sent  his 
dragoman  janissary  to  bring  their  baggage  from  the  ship. 
The  ambassador  and  his  lady  very  courteously  pressed 
them  to  accept  the  hospitality  of  their  palace ;  they 
declined  the  invitation,  having  previously  accepted  that 
of  Mr.  Black.  In  Constantinople  they  found  letters 
awaiting  them  from  their  homes,  and  also  an  expression 
of  sympathy  from  Friends  in  England,  signed  by  William 
Forster.  They  exclaimed  :  "  Oh  how  sweet  it  is,  thus  to 
have  the  unity  and  sympathy  of  the  church  !  This  is 
indeed  a  word  of  comfort  and  encouragement  that  the 
Lord  sends  us  in  time  of  need.  We  received  here  a 
large  supply  of  books  of  a  religious  character,  and  also 
some  treating,  of  our  principles,  in  different  languages, 
and  a  pretty  good  supply  of  New  Testaments,  sent  us 
from  Malta,  in  Greek,  Latin,  and  Italian.  Some  of  the 
Testaments  are  in  modern  Greek." 

At  that  time  it  was  death  to  a  Turk  to  forsake  Mo- 
hammedanism. Their  chief  concern  therefore  was  with 
the  Armenians  and  Greeks,  to  whom  they  gave  Bibles 
and  French  books.  "  We  had  felt  our  minds  drawn 
towards  their  great  prison,  called  the  Bagnio,  and,  through 
the  dragoman,  permission  to  visit  it  was  obtained.  It 
has  now  only  five  hundred  prisoners,  but  in  time  of  war 
especially  it  is  very  crowded  ;  several  thousands  of  poor 
fellow-beings  are  then  immured  in  it.  They  are  all 
mingled  together,  criminals  and  prisoners  of  war.  All 
those  that  are  able  to  labour  are  put  to  work  in  the  ship- 
yards, arsenals,  etc.,  contiguous  to  the  prison.  The 
latter  is  spacious  and  pretty  airy  during  the  summer,  but 
very  uncomfortable  in  rainy  seasons  or  cold  weather. 
The  prisoners  are  mostly  chained  two  and  two ;  no  meat 
is  given  them;  the  ration  of  bread  allowed  by  the 
Government  would  be  sufficient  if  they  received  it,  but 


148 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


the  various  hands  through  which  it  has  to  pass  before  it 
comes  to  them  retain  a  great  part  of  it,  so  that  in  the 
end  the  poor  prisoners  receive  not  one  half  of  their 
allotted  portion,  and  they  have  in  consequence  emaciated 
looks ;  some  are  so  feeble  that  they  can  hardly  drag 
themselves  along.  We  had  several  opportunities  with 
them  through  our  dragoman.  The  Turkish  officers  who 
accompanied  us  did  not  appear  to  make  any  objection 
to  it.  We  found  but  few  attacked  with  the  plague  in  the 
prison,  at  which  we  were  surprised,  for  many  parts  of  it 
are  very  filthy.  This  is  thought  to  be  owing  to  the  free 
circulation  of  air.  Whilst  at  work,  which  is  from  day- 
light to  sunset,  except  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  noon  to 
eat  their  morsel  of  bread,  an  officer  has  the  oversight  of 
ten  prisoners,  and  with  a  stick,  which  he  applies  pretty 
freely,  urges  them  on  to  their  work.  These  poor  prison- 
ers have  indeed  a  miserable  life,  in  consequence  of 
which  many  of  them  die.  We  visited  other  prisons, 
which  are  like  the  Segees  in  Russia  ;  but  here,  as  justice 
is  quickly  administered,  they  do  not  remain  long.  It 
frequently  occurs  that  the  police  officers,  without  taking 
the  trouble  to  carry  the  offender  to  prison,  give  him  the 
bastinado  on  the  spot  where  they  take  him,  or,  if  carried 
to  the  prison,  they  administer  it  there  on  the  soles  of  the 
feet.  It  is  so  severe,  in  some  cases,  that  the  sufferer 
dies  in  consequence  of  it. 

"  The  capitan  pasha  wished  to  see  us.  We  found  with 
him  the  captain  of  the  port.  His  dragoman,  who  is  a 
Greek  prince,  interpreted  for  us.  The  pasha  wished  to 
inquire  into  the  object  of  our  visit  here,  what  other 
nations  we  had  visited,  etc.  It  opened  the  way  for  our 
pleading  on  behalf  of  the  suffering  prisoners.  We  told 
him  it  was  the  love  of  God  and  man  that  prompted  us, 
not  to  see  the  country,  or  the  curiosities  of  it,  but  to 
endeavour  to  press  upon  all  men  to  live  virtuous  and 


VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE. 


149 


pious  lives.  If  they  did  so,  they  would  love  God  and 
man,  and  desire  to  promote  the  good  of  all  men.  As 
we  parted,  the  captain  of  the  port  invited  us  to  go  and 
see  the  launch  of  a  man-of-war.  We  told  him  that  the 
most  desirable  sight  he  could  give  us  would  be  that  of  a 
man  of  peace.  These  have  been  very  painful  engage- 
ments to  us." 

Their  time  was  thus  spent  in  religious  meetings,  held 
sometimes  in  the  large  audience  chamber  of  the  British 
ambassador,  and  at  others  in  that  of  the  ambassador 
from  St.  Petersburg,  where  they  were  met  by  the  pleni- 
potentiaries of  other  nations  ;  also  in  visiting  the  Greek 
patriarch,  and  strangers  from  Prussia,  Sweden,  and  Spain, 
whom  they  "  directed  to  the  peaceful  spirit  of  Christ." 
They  record  :  "  Sir  Robert  Liston  and  his  wife  have  acted 
towards  us  the  part  of  dear  friends,  and  greatly  facilitated 
our  religious  services,  when  opportunity  for  such  has 
presented." 

On  the  25th  of  July,  181 9,  they  took  passage  for 
Smyrna,  where  they  met  a  number  of  Greeks  who  were 
religiously  disposed.  "We  have  had,"  they  state,  "  some 
private  and  more  public  opportunities  among  them.  We 
had  several  meetings  also  with  the  Armenians  and 
others." 

Thence  they  sailed  to  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago, 
and  speak  of  the  beautiful  island  of  Scio.  They  met  with 
the  chief  Greeks  of  the  island,  on  whom  they  urged 
motives  of  benevolence,  and  visited  the  country  seat  of 
Peole  Mavrocordati,  "  a  very  beautiful  place." 

"It  was,"  they  say,  "a  treat  to  pass  the  night  in  a 
clean  and  cool  lodging,  and  to  sleep  on  a  bed,  which  we 
have  very  seldom  done  since  we  left  Petersburg :  yet, 
even  here,  as  the  man  was  arranging  the  bed-clothes,  a 
scorpion  near  the  pillow  bit  him  so  severely  that  his 
hand  swelled  considerably  up  to  the  arm,  attended  with 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


much  pain ;  dressed  with  some  alkah,  it  was,  however, 
nearly  well  by  morning.  Scorpions  are  numerous  in  all 
these  parts.  Professor  Bambass  joined  us  at  this 
house.  We  had  a  satisfactory  religious  meeting  with 
them  ;  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  Christian  religion) 
as  set  forth  in  the  gospel  by  the  apostles,  was  unfolded 
to  them,  and  contrasted  with  the  many  ceremonies, 
Jewish  and  idolatrous  practices,  that  have  been  devised 
and  introduced  into  the  nominal  church  by  Christian 
professors  under  various  names.  Bambass  said,  after  the 
meeting  concluded  :  '  I  fully  unite  with  the  testimony 
borne  this  evening  among  us ;  I  am  in  the  monastic 
order ;  I  was  introduced  into  it  when  very  young,  before 
my  judgment  was  formed,  or  I  was  even  of  an  age 
to  form  one.  Monks  have  done  much  harm  to  the 
church,  and  they  bear  some  of  the  strong  marks  the 
apostles  gave  of  the  apostasy.'  He  highly  approved  of 
our  views  of  Divine  worship,  and  of  the  ministry. 

"  Bishop  Plato  came  here  in  the  morning ;  we  had  a 
full  opportunity  with  him  and  others ;  as  some  of  them 
do  not  understand  French,  the  Archbishop  acted  as  inter- 
preter. The  particular  subjects  treated  of  were,  redemp- 
tion by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  His  saving  baptism. 
Divine  worship,  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
cause  of  the  great  declension  in  the  church,  and  the  way 
whereby  man  can  rise  again  from  his  fallen  estate ;  all  of 
which  he  rendered  with  much  precision,  as  some  com- 
petent judges  told  us  afterwards." 

Doubling  Cape  Colona  they  came  to  Athens.  There 
they  enjoyed  much  freedom  in  "religious  and  edifying 
conversation."  They  met  with  a  Capuchin  friar  who 
was  very  industrious  in  distributing  the  Holy  Scriptures 
among  the  people  generally.  "  He  spends,"  they  write, 
"  much  of  his  time  in  religious  retirement,  for  he  knows 
that  it  is  in  the  temple  of  the  heart  that  the  Lord  is  to 


VISIT  TO  TURKEY  AND  GREECE.  151 


be  found ;  that  there  is  the  altar  on  which  acceptable 
sacrifices  are  to  be  brought  to  the  Lord ;  and  there  must 
burn  the  light  of  truth  continually.  We  encouraged  him 
to  keep  this  light  bright  and  burning,  and  to  gather  the 
people  to  Christ  their  Teacher  and  Redeemer.  He 
came  to  our  lodgings  in  the  evening,  where  he  had  re- 
freshing from  the  Divine  presence."  They  left  New 
Testaments  and  religious  tracts  in  different  languages  in 
his  hands. 

Departing  from  Athens  they  came  to  Corinth,  but 
found  their  spirits  almost  crushed  under  the  influence 
of  Mohammedan  oppression.  They  were  able,  however, 
to  obtain  interviews  with  the  primate  of  the  Greeks  and 
observe,  "We  shall  long  remember  the  sweetness  and 
tenderness  of  his  spirit."  At  this  time  a  serious  illness 
came  upon  William  Allen.  No  other  course  remained 
but  that  of  his  return  to  England.  Stephen  Grellet 
records :  "  I  enjoy  these  days  of  retirement,  though 
clothed  with  great  poverty.  The  Lord  is  also  graciously 
pleased  to  settle  my  mind  in  much  calmness  and  resigna- 
tion, in  the  prospect  of  being  left  by  my  beloved  com- 
panion and  co-worker.  To  the  Lord's  guidance  I  must 
resign  him.  Great  has  been  His  goodness  to  me  in 
granting  me  such  a  beloved  one  as  fellow-helper  through 
the  various  countries  we  have  visited  since  leaving 
England.  Now,  instead  of  repining  at  the  prospect  of  a 
separation,  my  soul  blesses  the  Lord  for  favours  received, 
and  is  permitted  also  to  hope  for  more ;  though  which 
way  they  will  come  I  do  not  know  ;  but  they  all  proceed 
from  Him  who  is  the  God  of  all  our  sure  mercies." 

In  Corfu,  Sir  Thomas  Maitland,  Governor  of  the  Ionian 
Isles,  and  commandant  of  the  British  forces  in  the 
Mediterranean,  paid  most  courteous  attentions  to  these 
holy  men.  Understanding  that  Stephen  Grellet  pur- 
posed going  to  Naples,  he  offered  an  English  frigate  for 


152 


STEPHEN  G PELLET. 


his  use.  Mr,  Grellet  told  him  that  he  could  not  go  on  a 
ship  of  war,  as  his  errand  was  one  of  peace.  Sir  Thomas 
said  :  "  As  you  may  meet  with  some  difficulties  among 
those  bigoted  Papists,  at  Naples  and  at  Rome,  I  will 
have  letters  ready  for  our  ambassadors  there,  also  for  the 
Chevalier  de  Medici,  Prime  Minister  of  the  King  of 
Naples,  and  also  for  the  Cardinal  Consalvi,  Prime 
IMinister  of  the  Pope  ;  he  is  my  particular  friend,  and  I 
shall  have  him  apprised  of  your  coming,  before  your 
arrival  there." 

There  may  have  been  exceptions,  but,  as  a  rule,  English 
officers  of  rank  have  borne  towards  the  servants  of  Jesus 
Christ,  on  foreign  stations,  a  large-hearted  hospitality 
and  a  reverential  courteousness,  which  will  not  be  for- 
gotten by  Him  who  teaches  that  the  cup  of  cold  water 
given  in  His  name  to  a  disciple  shall  not  lose  its  reward. 
We  have  seen,  as  this  narrative  has  been  followed,  many 
of  these  expressions  of  polite  consideration  and  attention 
on  the  part  of  these  gentlemen,  and  happily  these  kind 
and  refreshing  acts  are  not  a  thing  of  the  past. 

From  the  Journal  of  Mr.  Grellet  we  learn  : — "At  sea, 
on  the  Adriatic.  Previous  to  our  separation,  dear  Allen 
and  I  had  a  very  solemn  and  precious  season  before 
the  Lord  ;  we  felt  the  bond  of  gospel  love  uniting  us 
closely,  and  perhaps  more  powerfully  felt  than  at  any 
time  before ;  but  believing  that  our  separation  is  in  the 
counsel  of  Him  who,  in  His  love  and  mercy,  had  banded 
us  together,  we  resigned  one  another  to  His  will,  and  we 
commit  ourselves  to  His  guidance  and  protection.  I 
leave  him  peacefully,  under  the  care  of  Doctor  Skey,  a 
very  kind  friend  to  him.  The  Doctor  accompanied  me 
on  board  the  vessel  at  two  p.m." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

IN  SOUTHERN  ITALY. 

MR.  SEEBOHM  very  tenderly  and  appropriately 
writes  :  "  Stephen  Grellet  has  now  arrived  at  a 
peculiarly  interesting,  if  not  a  critical,  period  of  his  mis- 
sion. In  company  with  a  beloved  brother  and  fellow- 
labourer  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  he  had  visited  the 
Lutheran  land  of  Gustavus  Adolphus, — he  had  traversed 
the  regions  of  the  Greek  Church,  in  the  dominions  of 
the  C/trisiian  Alexander — he  had  been  in  the  Crescent 
City,  and  had  seen'something  of  Mohammedan  rule  ; — he 
had  mingled  with  the  discordant  elements  of  the  motley 
group  of  believers  and  unbelievers,  in  some  of  the  islands 
of  the  Archipelago,  and  in  the  Ionian  Sea,  and  at  Athens 
and  Corinth.  He  had  left  his  beloved  companion  at 
Corfu,  and  now,  a  solitary  pilgrim,  '  alone,  and  yet  not 
alone,'  he  had  set  his  face  towards  the  land  of  popes 
and  cardinals.  Himself  at  one  time  a  child  of  Rome, 
then  an  infidel,  now  a  Christian  believer,  and  a  minister 
of  Christ  in  the  rehgious  Society  of  Friends — a  Pro- 
testant of  Protestants, — he  was  about  to  enter  the  pre- 
cincts of  the  city  of  Leo  and  Hildebrand.  It  required  a 
very  close  and  humble  walk  with  God,  a  very  chaste 
adherence  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  a  very  prayerful  atten- 
tion to  the  leadings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  a  very  firm 
reliance  upon  '  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,' 
based  upon  the  inspired  records  of  the  Bible,  to  come 
cut  unscathed  from  the  ordeal  that  awaited  him ;  meekly 
bold,  he  had  to  '  speak  the  truth  in  love,'  on  all  occa- 


154 


STEPHEN  CRELLET. 


sions  and  to  all,  without  pusillanimously  renouncing  the 
simplicity  and  integrity  of  his  own  character,  determined 
to  know  nothing  save  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified, 
seeking  nothing,  pleading  for  nothing  save  the  truth  as  it 
is  in  Him.  The  sequel  will  show  how  he  sustained  the 
trial,  and  stood  faithful  to  his  God  and  Saviour." 

On  the  13th  of  November,  1819,  he  arrived  in  Naples, 
and  took  up  his  abode  at  "  The  Golden  Eagle."  Sir 
AVilliam  A'Court,  British  Ambassador,  received  him 
kindly  ;  also  Henry  Lushington,  Esq.  The  latter  showed 
him  much  attention.  At  that  time  no  Bible  could  be 
circulated  in  Naples.  The  priests  affirmed  that  the 
safety  of  the  Church  would  be  endangered  if  the  people 
were  in  possession  of  the  Scriptures.  The  same  prohibi- 
tion applied  to  religious  books  and  tracts.  Darkness, 
despotism,  superstition,  and  irreligion  prevailed  every- 
where. Mr.  Lushington  and  the  American  Consul  ac- 
companied him,  however,  to  the  "  Albergo  de  Poveri," 
which  contained  two  thousand  four  hundred  persons, 
near  half  of  these  being  girls  and  boys.  Here  he  had 
religious  meetings. 

By  appointment  he  waited  on  the  Prime  Minister,  the 
Chevalier  de  Medici,  to  whom  he  had  an  introduction 
from  Sir  Thomas  Maitland.  We  return  here,  therefore, 
to  Mr.  Grellet's  Journal. 

"  I  found  in  the  antechamber  a  great  number  ot 
persons  of  all  ranks,  waiting  to  have  an  audience  with 
him ;  they  surveyed  me  closely,  whispering  to  one 
another  what  kind  of  being  I  might  be,  thus  to  appear 
with  my  hat  on.  I  was  not  left  long  among  them  ;  for 
it  appears  that  the  Chevalier  had  given  orders  to  his 
attendants  to  admit  me  into  his  private  cabinet  as  soon 
as  I  came  ;  he  made  me  sit  by  him,  and  proceeded  to 
inquire  into  the  nature  of  the  engagements  I  had  had  in 
the  different  nations  where  I  liad  travelled ;  then  he  was 


IN  SOUTHERN  ITALY. 


155 


very  particular  in  his  inquiries  into  various  of  our  Christ- 
ian principles  and  practices.  He  offered  to  give  me 
orders  for  admittance  to  all  their  prisons,  or  any  other 
place  I  might  wish  to  visit,  requesting  only  that  I  would 
impart  to  him  what  I  might  see,  to  which  he  could 
possibly  apply  some  remedy.  I  made  several  attempts 
to  withdraw,  knowing  that  many  persons  were  in  waiting; 
but  he  was  not  ready  to  let  me  go  till  we  had  been  above 
an  hour  together,  and  then  he  accompanied  me  through  the 
antechamber,  where  so  many  were  waiting,  to  the  farther 
door  ;  they  gazed  at  me,  whilst  they  bowed  very  low  to 
tlie  Chevalier,  as  we  passed  on. 

"In  the  afternoon  I  was  with  the  Abbe  Mastroti ; 
several  noblemen  were  present,  also  a  young  prince 
whom  I  saw  yesterday.  I  felt  for  a  while  much  dejected; 
a  heavy  weight  was  upon  my  mind,  and  I  did  not  see 
how  I  could  throw  it  off  before  such  a  company,  who 
appeared  to  be  of  the  great  and  wise  of  this  world  ;  but 
I  thought  that  if  I  truly  wished  to  be  myself  one  of  the 
wise  in  the  Divine  sight,  I  must  first  become  a  fool,  yea, 
be  willing  to  be  accounted  so  by  others.  I  proclaimed 
to  them  the  day  of  the  Lord,  which  shall  burn  as  an 
oven,  etc.,  etc. ;  I  entreated  them  to  receive  Him  in 
the  way  of  His  coming,  and  be  of  those  whose  sins  go 
beforehand  to  judgment,  and  not  of  those  whose  sins 
follow  after ;  not  to  trust  in  the  doctrine  of  a  purgatory^ 
but  rather  deeply  to  consider  the  description  given  by 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself  of  what  follows  after 
death,  as  set  forth  in  the  parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus  ; 
the  rich  man,  not  in  purgatory — but  in  hell — lifted  up 
his  eyes  and  saw  Lazarus  in  Abraham's  bosom,  etc.,  etc. 
The  Lord's  truth  was  exalted  among  them,  and  His 
power  had  the  dominion. 

"In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  Prince  Cardito's.  I  feel 
deeply  with  him,  in  his  desire  for  the  moral  and  virtuous 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


education  of  the  youth  among  the  mass  of  the  people  ;  I 
placed  in  his  hands  a  copy  of  the  '  Scripture  Lessons/ 
which  dear  Allen  and  I  prepared  in  Russia.  I  found 
with  the  Prince  eight  other  noblemen,  who  also  mani- 
fested great  interest  in  the  subject;  they  were  inquisitive 
as  to  several  branches  of  our  Christian  principle  and 
testimonies ;  this  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  set  before 
them  what  the  church  of  Christ  is ;  the  worship  which 
His  servants  are  to  offer  to  Him  who  is  the  Head  of  His 
church,  which  is  a  pure  church  ;  this  I  contrasted  with 
the  Church  of  Rome,  the  worship  of  images  introduced 
therein,  the  great  impurity  of  so  many  of  its  members, 
particularly  of  the  priests  and  monks.  They  acknow- 
ledged the  correctness  of  these  representations.  On 
returning  to  my  lodgings  I  found  a  letter  from  the 
Chevalier  de  Medici,  inclosing  orders  for  my  admittance 
to  the  various  prisons,  etc. 

"21st.  Accompanied  by  Bonaprianola,  I  began  the 
very  painful  work  of  visiting  the  receptacles  of  vice  and 
crime.  I  went  to-day  through  the  two  prisons  for 
women,  a  large  one  for  men,  and  a  hospital  for  their 
sick.  This  service  took  me  from  nine  a.m.  till  four  p.m. 
But  my  bodily  fatigue  is  small  compared  with  the  anguish 
of  mind  I  have  endured.  I  do  not  remember  that,  in 
any  day  of  my  life,  I  have  been  with  so  many  fellow- 
beings  so  totally  depraved  and  hardened.  Cages  of  very 
unclean  birds,  indeed,  I  have  been  in.  Many  of  the 
inmates,  of  both  sexes,  and  even  children,  have  com- 
mitted atrocious  crimes.  I  saw  fifteen  in  one  cell  who 
are  condemned  to  death.  Their  crimes  are  of  the 
deepest  dye,  and  they  do  not  show  the  least  sense  of 
their  situation.  My  attempt  to  represent  to  them  the 
awful  doom  that  awaits  them  shortly,  unless  by  sincere 
repentance  they  seek  for  repentance  and  forgiveness 
through  Him  who  is  the  only  Saviour  of  sinners,  ap- 


J.V  SOUTHERN-  ITALY. 


^57 


peared  to  have  no  more  efTect  than  the  dropping  of 
water  on  the  flinty  rock.  Some  boys  who  are  there,  at 
the  early  age  of  eleven  years,  have  perpetrated  several 
murders.  I  endeavoured  to  turn  the  inmates  of  these 
prisons  *  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  sin  and  Satan 
to  God';  but  I  do  not  know  that  a  single -individual, 
out  of  several  thousands  I  have  been  with  this  day,  has 
given  the  least  sign  of  sorrow  for  his  evil  deeds. 

"  22nd.  To-day  I  visited  the  foundling  hospital,  which 
is  a  very  large  establishment.  The  mortality  among  the 
children  admitted  here  is  not  as  great  as  in  similar  places 
in  Russia.  About  eighty  nuns  have  the  principal  charge 
of  it.  In  one  part  there  are  about  four  hundred  girls, 
most  of  whom  have  attained  the  age  of  young  women. 
It  is  a  kind  of  convent.  As  I  was  going  through  a  long 
corridor,  accompanied  by  several  of  the  nuns  and  priests 
attached  to  this  extensive  institution,  we  passed  the  door 
of  their  chapel,  which  was  open.  I  saw  the  girls,  with 
several  nuns,  on  their  knees  before  a  large  Madonna,  or 
representation  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  very  richly  and  finely 
dressed.  Wax  candles  were  burning  before  it.  They 
were  singing  to  the  image,  but  at  the  same  time  their 
faces  were  towards  us,  laughing.  My  soul  was  sorrowful 
on  beholding  them,  and  their  superstition  and  idolatry. 
The  chief  of  the  priests  who  were  with  me  asked  if  I  did 
not  wish  to  go  into  the  church  to  see  the  girls  at  their 
devotions.  I  told  him  I  should  like  to  do  so  if  it  were 
proper ;  I  felt  a  strong  inclination  to  go  in,  but,  as  from 
religious  principle  I  do  not  uncover  my  head  in  any 
place  as  if  it  was  holy  ground,  I  was  unwilling  to  give 
offence  to  any  one  by  going  in.  The  nuns  said,  nobody 
here  would  be  offended  at  it.  The  priests  also  said : 
'  We  have  on  our  heads  our  cassocks ;  your  hat  is  to 
you  no  more  than  these  are  to  us,  especially  as  it  is 
from  religious  principle  that  you  act.'   Then  I  told  them 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


I  would  go  in,  on  condition  that,  if  I  apprehended  it 
was  required  of  me  by  the  Lord  to  communicate  any- 
thing to  the  young  women  thus  assembled,  he,  the  chief 
priest,  who  spoke  good  French,  would  interpret  for  me. 
He  very  readily  agreed  to  do  so.  We  all  went  in. 
Besides  the  girls,  most  of  the  nuns  were  in  the  church 
surrounding  their  great  I^Iadonna.  When  they  had  con- 
cluded singing  their  hymn,  I  told  them  how  greatly  my 
heart  had  been  pained,  as  I  passed  by,  on  seeing  the 
lightness  of  their  conduct  whilst  engaged  in  what  they 
call  a  devotional  act ;  that  I  could  not  however  be  sur- 
prised at  it,  if  they  truly  looked  on  that  image  before 
them  as  what  it  really  is, — nothing  but  a  piece  of  wood, 
carved  by  man's  device,  which  can  neither  hear,  nor 
see,  neither  do  good  nor  evil  to  any ;  our  devotion,  I 
said,  is  to  be  to  Him  who  sees  the  secret  of  our 
hearts,  hears  not  our  words  only,  but  knows  our  every 
thought ;  from  Him  we  have  ever}'thing  to  fear  if  we 
do  not  serve,  obey,  and  honour  Him  ;  and  the  richest 
blessings  to  hope  for  if  we  love,  fear,  and  serve  Him  : 
the  worship  acceptable  to  Him  is  to  be  performed  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,  from  the  very  heart ;  this  is  the 
temple  in  which  He  is  to  be  found,  and  in  which  He 
revealeth  Himself  Here,  at  noonday,  they  have  lighted 
tapers,  which  cannot  enable  them  to  discover  the  sin- 
fulness of  the  heart ;  but  the  light  of  Christ,  which  en- 
lightens every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,  and  by 
which  everything  with  which  He  has  a  controversy  is 
made  manifest,  showeth  us  our  sins,  that  we  may  look 
upon  Him  whom  by  our  sins  we  have  pierced :  He  is  the 
Saviour  of  all  those  that  come  to  Him  in  faitli  and  true 
repentance.  Then  I  proceeded  to  proclaim  to  them  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  only  Saviour  of  sinners,  the 
only  hope  of  salvation,  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life, 
without  whom  no  man  can  come  to  God  the  Father ;  all 


m  SOUTHERN'  ITALY. 


159 


that  pretend  to  enter  by  any  other  way  than  by  Him, 
the  door,  are  accounted  as  thieves  and  robbers.  The 
priest  interpreted  faithfully  into  Italian,  of  which  I 
could  judge.  The  nuns  and  the  other  priests  said 
several  times,  '  This  is  the  truth,'  or  '  It  is  so.'  The 
countenances  of  the  girls  had  much  altered ;  they  hung 
dowrj  their  heads,  and  tears  flowed  from  some  of  their 
eyes.  Thus  did  my  blessed  Master  enable  His  poor 
servant,  in  a  Popish  church,  assisted  by  priests,  to  bear 
testimony  to  His  blessed  truth,  and  against  the  super- 
stitious worship  that  those  poor  girls  were  offering  to  a 
carved  piece  of  wood.  After  we  came  out,  some  more 
of  the  nuns  collected  about  us,  and  in  answering  some 
of  their  questions  I  further  unfolded  to  them  what  ac- 
ceptable worship  to  God  consists  in,  and  also  what  is 
the  only  hope  of  salvation.  No  man  can  save  his 
brother,  or  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  his  soul ;  that, 
therefore,  it  is  great  presumption  for  any  to  attempt  to 
take  upon  themselves  to  pronounce  absolution  from  sin 
on  a  sinner.  After  opportunities  of  this  sort  I  some- 
times marvel  that  they  do  not  lay  their  hands  upon  me  ; 
but  here,  on  the  contrary,  they  parted  from  me  in  tender- 
ness, and  with  expressions  of  their  satisfaction  with  my 
visit.  Surely  this  is  the  Lord's  doing ;  holy  and  reverend 
is  His  name ! 

"  In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  the  prisons  of  the  galley- 
slaves.  They  are  dismal  places  indeed.  The  stone  arches 
and  the  walls  are  black  and  sooty ;  for  they  have  some- 
times a  little  fire  in  the  prison,  which  is  very  damp,  and  as 
there  is  no  chimney,  the  v/alls,  that  have  not  been  swep 
for  many  years,  have  a  dismal  appearance.  The  water 
they  drink  is  drawn  from  a  well  in  the  prison.  What 
they  spill  of  it,  and  the  rain  that  comes  in  through  the 
iron  gratings,  causes  the  mud  to  be  shoe  deep.  They 
are  so  crowded  that  when  they  lie  down  on  the  planks 


i6o 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


placed  over'  their  benches  they  completely  cover  the 
whole  surface  ;  and  all  cannot  be  accommodated.  Many 
are  obliged  to  place  their  planks  on  the  mud,  under  the 
others.  They  are  chained  by  the  leg,  two  and  two,  so 
that  their  position  is  very  uncomfortable.  Many  of  them 
have  thus  been  confined  several  years.  Some  young 
men,  chained  to  older  ones,  were  brought  to  that  prison 
when  they  were  only  twelve  years  of  age !  In  no 
country  have  I  seen  so  many  youthful  criminals.  The 
only  yard  to  which  some  of  them  may  resort  for  a  few 
moments  is  but  twenty  feet  square.  I  found  some  tender- 
ness of  spirit  among  a  few  of  the  prisoners.  There  are 
about  six  thousand.  My  feelings  were  overpowered ; 
the  foulness  of  the  air  also  greatly  affected  me.  But  if, 
by  my  suffering,  I  can  open  a  way  for  some  relief  to 
them,  it  will  administer  consolation  to  my  sorrow.  Some 
of  these  poor  people  seemed  as  if  they  could  not  believe 
their  own  ears,  when  I  imparted  to  them  the  encourage- 
ments which  the  gospel  holds  out  to  penitent  sinners  :  that 
although  their  sins  were  as  scarlet,  or  of  a  crimson  dye, 
yet  the  Lord,  in  His  love  and  mercy,  could  make  them 
as  snow  or  wool. 

"  I  met  at  the  Count  Stackelberg's  the  Russian  minister 
and  several  Prussian  and  Russian  noblemen ;  some  of 
these  I  had  been  with  in  Russia ;  the  Lord  made  way 
once  more  to  proclaim  among  them  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  His  love  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  entreat 
them  not  to  be  hearers  only  of  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
gospel,  but  so  to  believe  as  to  obey. 

"  23rd.  I  was  a  third  time  with  the  Chevalier  de 
Medici.  I  had  sent  him  a  statement  of  some  of  my  ob- 
servations, particularly  among  the  insane,  and  in  some  of 
the  prisons ;  and  I  have  now  laid  before  him  the  situa- 
tion of  the  galley  slaves.  He  took  such  an  interest  in 
what  I  stated  in  my  former  report,  and  his  feelings  were 


IN  SOUTHERN  ITALY.  i6i 

SO  touched,  that  attention  was  immediately  given  to  it ; 
some  places  have  already  been  cleansed,  ventilators  are 
opened,  boys  are  removed  from  the  other  prisoners, 
their  irons  are  changed  for  lighter  ones,  etc.,  etc.  And 
now  he  appears  disposed,  with  equal  promptitude,  to 
have  a  complete  change  made  in  the  prisons  of  the 
galley  slaves,  and  at  once  to  have  the  boys  removed  else- 
where. Should  my  deep  sufferings  in  these  visits  have 
no  other  effect  than  thus  to  mitigate  the  bodily  tortures 
under  which  some  of  these,  my  fellow-beings,  have 
suffered  for  years,  I  am  richly  repaid ;  may  it  not  be  for 
one  of  these  ends  that  the  Lord  is  opening  a  door  of 
access  for  me  to  plead  with  men  in  authority?  or  that 
whilst  the  hearts  of  some  of  these  are  tendered,  under  a 
sense  of  the  Lord's  mercies  towards  them,  they  may  be- 
come disposed  to  acts  of  mercy  towards  others  ?  I  hope 
also  that  some  of  the  poor  prisoners  will  find  consola- 
tion in  the  Lord  Jesus,  whose  mercies  have  been  pro- 
claimed to  them.  Bonaprianola,  Prince  Cardito,  and  a 
number  of  others,  appear  so  to  feel  for  that  class  of  men 
as  to  be  willing  to  visit  the  prisoners  henceforth,  and  to 
impart  to  them  moral  and  religious  instruction.  I  par- 
ticularly recommended  to  them  the  juvenile  offenders.  I 
had  a  precious  meeting  with  these  benevolent  persons, 
together  with  a  large  company  of  those  with  whom  I  had 
been  previously  in  more  select  or  public  religious  oppor- 
tunities J  it  was  a  solemn  parting  meeting. 

"  I  feel  now  as  if  I  must  hasten  to  Rome ;  various 
objects,  under  other  circumstances,  might  claim  a  few 
days  of  my  time ;  Vesuvius  displays  a  grand  sight ;  in 
the  day,  thick  columns  of  smoke  rise  up  to  a  considerable 
height,  at  night  they  are  blazing  pillars ;  at  a  short  dis- 
tance from  here  are  excavations  made  into  the  streets  of 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  long  buried  under  beds  of 
lava,  on  which  vineyards  are  now  planted ;  but,  though 

M 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


as  a  man  I  should  be  greatly  interested  in  visiting  them, 
they  are  not  the  objects  for  which  my  great  and  blessed 
Master  has  sent  me  to  these  nations.  With  singleness  of 
heart  I  must  prosecute  the  business  to  which  He  has 
called  me.  My  bonds  for  Rome  also  feel  so  heavy,  that 
I  could  not  have  any  pleasure  in  those  things  which, 
were  I  differently  circumstanced,  would  interest  me  so 
much.  It  has  indeed  been  so  with  me  for  years  past  j 
though  in  the  course  of  my  travels  I  am  among,  or  pass 
near,  objects  of  great  curiosity,  and  I  have  from  early 
life  taken  great  interest  in  such  things,  yet  the  discipline 
under  which  the  Lord  has  kept  me,  and  the  weight  of 
the  religious  service  to  which  He  has  called  me,  have 
been  such  that  I  have  not  felt  at  liberty  to  turn  out  of 
my  way  in  travelling,  or  to  tarry  longer  in  any  place, 
merely  to  gratify  myself." 

It  is  astonishing  how  opportunities  will  offer  themselves 
to  a  man  absorbed  in  one  grand  intention  to  help  and 
bless  men.  It  is  also  very  instructive  to  observe  how  a 
man  in  abiding  fellowship  with  the  compassionate  God 
finds  doors  open  for  usefulness  in  a  city  where  all 
avenues  of  Christian  testimony  appeared  closed  against 
him.  Surely  Christ  fulfils  His  promise  of  being  with  His 
own  servants  to  the  end  of  the  age,  and  while  they  seek 
nothing  great  for  themselves.  He  preserves  them  in 
grave  perils,  exalts  them  by  His  guidance,  and  sheds  His 
blessing  on  their  words. 

"  No  service  in  itself  is  small, 

None  great,  though  earth  it  fill  ; 
But  that  is  small,  that  seeks  its  own, 
And  great  that  seeks  God's  will. 

Then  hold  my  hand,  most  gracious  Lord, 

Guide  all  my  goings  still  ; 
And  let  this  be  my  life's  one  aim, 

To  do,  or  bear,  Thy  will." 


CHAPTER  XIV, 


IN  ROME. 

WHEN  Mr.  Grellet  visited  Rome,  Pius  VH. 
was  in  the  last  years  of  his  pontificate.  In 
1804  he  had  crowned  Napoleon  at  Paris;  in  1809  he 
was  a  prisoner  at  Fontainebleau ;  at  the  close  of  1819 
he  had  reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty.  Stephen 
Grellet  found  the  Pope's  territory  infested  with  banditti, 
robberies  and  murders  of  constant  occurrence,  and 
every  few  miles  of  the  road  presenting  the  horrible  sight 
of  men  hanging  in  chains. 

On  his  arrival  he  presented  his  credentials  to  Cardinal 
Consalvi,  prime  minister  of  the  Pope.  The  cardinal 
gave  him  a  private  interview  in  his  cabinet.  Sitting 
down  by  his  side  he  detained  him  an  hour  and  a  half. 
He  was  in  no  wise  offended  when  Mr.  Grellet  spoke 
freely  of  the  superstitions  he  had  witnessed  in  Italy,  and 
when  he  bore  witness  that  Jesus  Christ  the  Saviour  of 
men  was  the  only  Head  of  His  church.  "  Before  we 
parted,"  he  writes,  "  he  wished  to  know  in  what  way  he 
could  serve  me  ;  I  told  him  that  I  should  like  to  visit 
the  prisons  and  public  establishments,  and  should  be 
obliged  if  he  would  procure  me  admittance  to  them. 
Having  promised  this,  he  took  me  by  the  hand  through 
the  rows  of  persons  on  each  side,  waiting  in  the  ante- 
chamber, to  the  door  of  the  court." 

The  next  morning  he  went  to  the  Castle  of  St.  Michael 
with  his  letter  of  introduction.     "  The  governor  of  the 

castle  sent  for  a  young  man  to  accompany  me  :  from  the 

163 


164 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


first  my  heart  inclined  to  this  young  man.  He  has  been 
chastened  by  the  loss  of  his  wife  within  a  few  weeks, 
who,  I  am  told,  was  a  beautiful  and  virtuous  young 
woman  ;  he  speaks  good  French.  He  went  with  me  to 
several  prisons  for  the  galley  slaves,  and  to  the  secret 
prison ;  here  they  have  a  complete  system  of  espionage  ; 
the  cells  are  so  constructed  that  they  succeed  in  be- 
coming acquainted  with  what  the  prisoners  say  to  one 
another.  They  have  very  high  ceilings,  in  which  there 
is  an  opening,  which  appears  to  be  intended  only  for  a 
ventilator,  but  here  a  man  is  stationed  who  can  hear 
nearly  every  word  spoken  in  the  cell.  They  place  in  the 
same  cell  such  as  have  been  connected  together  in 
crimes,  that  they  may  be  encouraged  to  converse  with 
each  other.  The  person  whose  business  it  is  to  hearken 
to  what  the  prisoners  say  is  particularly  attentive  to  be 
at  his  station  before  the  prisoners  are  taken  out  to  be  in- 
terrogated, and  on  their  return  also ;  on  which  occasions 
they  are  often  heard  to  agree  on  what  they  shall  say,  and 
to  talk  on  what  occurred  during  the  interrogation,  and 
thus  they  commit  themselves.  But  the  listener  may 
often  hear  indistinctly,  and  by  misrepresentation,  though 
without  evil  intention,  cause  these  men  to  be  condemned 
on  the  plea  that  they  have  avowed  their  guilt.  By  their 
laws  no  man  is  condemned  unless  he  confesses  himself 
guilty,  and  by  this  plan  they  think  they  obtain  such  an 
acknowledgment ;  some  years  past  a  confession  was  ex- 
torted by  the  cruelty  of  torture.  I  saw  some  prisoners 
confined  there  on  account  of  religion,  but  could  not 
understand  for  what  particulars  ;  my  kind  attendant  is, 
however,  very  ready  in  interpreting  for  me  Avhenever  I 
request  him,  and  during  some  communications  I  made 
through  him  in  several  cells,  some  of  the  prisoners  were 
tender." 

For  some  days  he  was  occupied  in  visiting  the  Roman 


IN  ROME. 


prisons  and  hospitals.  It  was  with  great  physical  ex- 
haustion he  did  this.  His  heart  was  filled  with  distress  at 
the  sufferings  he  daily  witnessed.  The  rule  of  the  priests 
was  one  of  rigorous  repression  ;  the  reaction  against  this 
led  to  perpetual  vice  and  crime  ;  and  these  were  followed 
by  cruel  imprisonments.  It  was  an  iron  reign  of  terror, 
with  only  here  and  there  a  gleam  of  mercy.  "  I  visited," 
he  observes,  "  two  large  hospitals  called  St.  Spirito  and 
St.  Charles ;  and  a  large  poorhouse,  where,  besides  aged 
people,  there  are  four  hundred  boys  and  five  hundred 
girls.  I  had  several  religious  opportunities,  in  some  of 
which  sensibility  was  apparent.  I  was  also  in  a  prison 
where  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  brigands  are  con- 
fined. They,  and  their  wives  and  children,  were  routed 
out  of  their  habitations,  and  are  intended  to  be  settled  in 
distant  places.  Some  of  them  may  be  innocent.  The 
tenderness  manifested  during  the  religious  opportunity  I 
had  with  them  may  perhaps  induce  me  to  entertain  such  a 
sentiment.  I  was  pleased  with  a  retreat  for  convalescent 
persons.  They  are  sent  here  from  the  hospitals,  where, 
for  about  two  weeks  previous  to  their  final  discharge, 
they  have  good  nourishing  food  given  them,  that  they 
may  get  strength  to  proceed  in  the  necessary  business  of 
life.  The  meeting  I  had  among  them  was  a  peculiarly 
tendering  season.  Adjoining  to  this  is  a  spacious  place 
for  the  reception  of  pilgrims  travelling  to  various  parts, 
even  such  as  go  to  Jerusalem.  Here  they  remain  a 
longer  or  shorter  time  to  rest,  according  to  the  length  of 
the  journey  they  have  come,  or  have  to  go.  The  apart- 
ments for  men  and  women  are  entirely  separate.  In 
each  place  are  large  marble  basins,  some  for  washing  the 
feet  only  (for  the  pilgrims  travel  barefoot),  others  for 
baths,  into  which  warm  and  cold  water  may  be  let  in,  to 
the  liking  of  the  pilgrim.  They  have  also  good  beds 
and  food  provided  for  them.   It  is  very  common  for  men 


i66 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


and  women  of  rank,  (priests,  bishops,  or  cardinals,)  at 
least  once  a  year,  to  repair  here  and  wash  the  feet  of  the 
travellers,  also  to  serve  them  during  their  meals.  They 
consider  such  acts  as  very  meritorious.  The  eating  room 
is  large  and  lofty. 

"This  has  been  another  day  of  very  close  engagement 
and  mental  suffering.  I  visited  a  prison,  said  to  be  a 
place  of  correction  for  boys  ;  very  imposing  was  the  sight 
on  my  first  entering,  accompanied  by  several  priests  be- 
longing to  this  establishment  and  others  connected  with 
it,  as  they  were  giving  a  glowing  description  of  the  great 
reform  that  they  were  instrumental  in  effecting.  The 
lofty  apartment  I  Avas  in  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in 
length,  and  forty  in  height.  On  both  sides  of  this  room 
were  small  chambers  ;  opposite  to  each  door  was  a  boy, 
cleanly  dressed,  with  a  spinning  wheel;  all  seemed  in- 
dustrious, and  profound  silence  prevailed  among  them. 
It  seemed  to  be  a  pleasant  sight;  but,  casting  my  eyes 
downward,  I  observed  that  every  boy  had  a  chain  at  his 
ankle,  allowing  him  to  go  only  from  his  cell  to  his  wheel ! 
Then  I  beheld  several  inclined  blocks,  with  stocks  to 
confine  hands  and  feet,  and  knotted  cords  and  whips 
near  them.  Inquiring  the  meaning  of  all  this  :  '  Oh,' 
said  the  priests,  '  these  are  the  places  where  they  receive 
their  correction  morning  and  evening,  on  their  bare 
back.*  'Is  this,'  I  queried,  'the  method  whereby  you 
bring  about  such  great  reform  among  these  boys  ?  You 
may  indeed  excite  the  angry  passions  in  them,  by  such 
doings,  but  you  will  never  change  their  evil  heart.'  In 
another  part  I  was  with  women  and  girls,  towards  whom 
similar  treatment  is  used,  to  reform  them  from  their 
vicious  habits.  My  endeavours  to  plead  with  these 
priests,  and  to  set  before  them  the  ways  that  a  Christian 
spirit  would  dictate,  and  which,  through  the  Lord's 
blessing,  might  prove  efficacious  to  the  recovery  of  these 


IN  ROME. 


167 


young  persons,  have,  I  fear,  had  very  little  place  with 
them. 

"29th.  I  had  a  suffering  night,  my  mind  was  under 
great  distress  ;  I  feel  at  times  as  if  I  was  among  lions 
and  serpents,  and  as  if  I  was  treading  over  scorpions  ; 
and  yet,  amidst  these  feelings,  it  is  laid  upon  me  to  try 
to  visit  the  Inquisition,  thus  to  go  into  the  lion's  den." 

A  few  days  after  these  visits  he  sought  another  inter- 
view with  Consalvi,  and  stated  the  result  of  his  observa- 
tions, and  desired  from  him  a  permission  to  visit  the 
Inquisition.  The  minister  could  not  grant  this,  but 
promised  his  endeavours  to  obtain  one.  The  following 
day  his  Journal  records  : — "  I  visited  this  day  a  large 
college,  formerly  kept  by  the  Jesuits,  now  banished  from 
here  ;  there  are  about  six  hundred  students  in  it.  There 
I  was  among  many  priests  also  ;  when  I  began  to  speak 
some  of  the  young  men  were  somewhat  rude,  but  very 
soon  silence  and  seriousness  spread  over  them.  The 
Lord  helped  me  to  proclaim  the  everlasting  Truth  among 
them.  Then  I  went  to  another  school  for  four  hundred 
boys,  where  their  teacher,  a  very  feeling  man,  a  priest, 
acted  as  my  interpreter.  My  next  visit  was  to  a  nunnery, 
which  has  a  school  for  girls,  where  the  Lord  was  also 
near,  in  enabling  me  to  proclaim  His  holy  name ;  the 
Superior  of  the  nuns  has  felt  the  Lord's  power,  she  has 
a  pious  mind.  It  is  marvellous  that,  though  these  re- 
ligious services  bring  me  into  contact  with  so  many 
priests,  monks,  and  nuns,  when  they  hear  doctrines  so 
new  to  them,  which  also  strike  at  the  root  of  popery,  no 
one  has  yet  made  an  objection  ;  but,  on  my  taking  leave 
of  them,  they  treat  me  with  kindness  ;  some  even  say 
that  they  are  persuaded  that  it  is  the  love  of  Christ  that 
constrains  me  to  visit  them.  I  had  a  satisfactory  visit 
from  a  young  priest,  a  prince  of  Rome  and  Austria ;  his 
name  is  Charles  Odescalchi,   his  uncle  is   nuncio  in 


i68 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


Spain.  I  thought,  on  seeing  this  young  man,  that  there 
was  something  lovely  in  him ;  his  mind  was  brought  into 
great  tenderness ;  I  can  but  have  good  hope  of  him. 
Three  pious  persons  came  in  also  to  see  me  ;  two  of 
them  are  of  the  monks  that  I  was  with  yesterday,  one  is 
a  young  man.  I  had  a  full  opportunity  with  them ;  I 
directed  them  to  Christ  and  to  His  Spirit.  The  young 
monk  was  broken  into  tears.  In  many  of  these  oppor- 
tunities I  have  to  set  before  them  in  what  true  religion 
consists,  and  that  it  is  not  by  works  of  righteousness 
that  we  may  perform  that  we  can  be  saved,  but  by  faith 
only  in  the  free  grace  of  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  the  only  Saviour  of  men. 

"  2nd.  I  was  occupied  very  late  last  night  in  preparing 
the  documents  that  Cardinal  Consalvi  wishes  to  have, 
relative  to  my  visits  to  their  public  establishments.  I 
apprehend  it  my  duty  to  expose  the  various  abuses  that  I 
have  observed,  and,  in  several  instances,  misapplication  of 
money  designed  for  acts  of  benevolence ;  I  represent 
also  the  sufferings  of  many  of  the  prisoners  in  small, 
dark,  crowded  rooms,  and  the  heavy  chains  on  them, 
which  are  not  removed  from  some  of  them  till  after 
death ;  I  saw  some,  greatly  reduced  by  long  illness,  who 
nevertheless  wore  their  heavy  chains." 

From  Cardinal  Consalvi  Mr.  Grellet  wished  for  an 
introduction  to  the  Pope.  The  Cardinal  asked  him  if  it 
would  not  satisfy  him  to  be  introduced  at  court.  Mr. 
Grellet  replied  that  he  was  no  courtier,  nor  desired  any- 
thing further  than  to  be  with  the  Pontiff  in  private. 
Thence  he  went  to  Father  Mirandi,  the  head  of  the  In- 
quisition. Consalvi  had  desired  that  the  chief  inquisitor 
would  give  every  information  respecting  the  manner  in 
which  the  Inquisition  was  formerly  conducted,  and  would 
open  to  the  visitor  every  part  of  it.  ISIirandi  sent  his  own 
secretary  with  Mr.  Grellet,  who  thus  describes  his  visit. 


IN  ROME. 


169 


"  The  Inquisition  stands  very  near  the  church  of  St. 
Peter.  The  entrance  is  into  a  spacious  yard,  in  which 
nothing  is  in  view  but  extensive  and  sumptuous  buildings, 
containing  their  very  large  library,  paintings,  etc.  On 
the  left  hand  is  a  door  hardly  to  be  noticed,  which  opens, 
through  a  very  thick  wall,  into  an  open  place,  round 
which  are  buildings  of  three  storeys,  with  many  cells  \ 
the  doors  of  all  these  open  into  passages  fronting  the 
yard.  These  cells,  or  small  prisons,  are  very  strongly 
built ;  the  walls  are  of  great  thickness,  all  arched  over. 
Some  were  appropriated  to  men,  others  to  women. 
There  was  no  possibility  for  any  of  the  inmates  to  see  or 
communicate  with  each  other.  The  prison  where  Moli- 
nos  was  confined  was  particularly  pointed  out.  I  visited 
also  the  prisons,  or  cellars  underground,  and  was  in  the 
place  where  the  Inquisitors  sat  and  where  tortures  were 
inflicted  on  the  poor  sufferer  ;  but  everything  bore  marks 
that,  for  many  years,  these  abodes  of  misery  had  not 
been  at  all  frequented.  As  we  went  on  I  heard  the 
Secretary  say  something  to  my  interpreter  about  the 
Secret  Library  \  I  therefore  asked  him  to  take  me  there. 
He  took  me  to  the  large  Public  Library.  I  told  him 
this  was  not  what  I  wished  to  see,  but  the  secret  one ; 
he  hesitated,  stating  that  it  was  a  secret  place,  where 
there  could  be  no  admittance ;  that  the  priests  them- 
selves were  not  allowed  to  enter  there.  I  told  him  that 
the  orders  that  had  been  read  to  him  were  to  show  me 
everything,  that,  if  he  declined  to  show  me  this,  I  might 
also  conclude  that  he  kept  other  places  concealed  from 
me ;  that  therefore  I  could  not  contradict  the  reports  I 
had  heard,  even  in  Rome,  that  the  Inquisition  was 
secretly  conducted  with  the  ancient  rigour.  On  which 
he  brought  me  into  the  Secret  Library.  It  is  a  spacious 
place,  shelved  round  up  to  the  ceiling,  and  contains 
books,  manuscripts,  and  papers,  condemned  by  the 


170 


STEPHEN-  CRELLET. 


Inquisitors  after  they  have  read  them.  In  the  fore  part 
of  each  book  the  objections  to  it  are  stated  in  general 
terms,  or  a  particular  page  and  even  a  line  is  referred 
to,  dated  and  signed  by  the  Inquisitor,  so  that  I  could 
at  once. know  the  nature  of  the  objection  to  any  book  on 
which  I  liid  my  hands.  The  greater  number  of  manu- 
scripts appear  to  have  been  written  in  Ireland.  Some  of 
them  contain  very  interesting  matter,  and  evince  that  the 
writers  were,  in  many  particulars,  learned  in  the  school 
of  Christ.  I  could  have  spent  days  in  that  place. 
There  are  citings  in  all  the  various  modern  and  ancient 
languages,  European,  Asiatic,  Arabic,  Grecian,  etc.,  etc., 
all  arranged  separately,  in  order.  I  carefully  looked  for 
Friends'  books,  but  found  none  j  there  are  many  Bibles 
in  the  several  languages  ;  whole  editions  of  some  thousand 
volumes  of  the  writings  of  jNIolinos.  After  spending  a 
long  time  in  this  place  of  much  interest,  the  Secretary 
said,  '  You  must  now  come  and  see  my  own  habitation.' 
I  thought  he  meant  the  chamber  that  he  occupies ;  but 
he  brought  me  to  spacious  apartments  where  the  archives 
of  the  Inquisition  are  kept,  and  Avhere  is  the  Sccrdairerie. 
Here  are  the  records  of  the  Inquisition  for  many  centuries, 
to  the  present  time.  I  looked  in  some  of  their  books 
from  the  fifteenth  century.  They  are  kept  as  the  books 
of  a  merchant's  journal  and  ledger,  so  that  looking  in 
the  ledger  for  any  name,  and  turning  thence  to  the  various 
entries  in  the  journal,  a  full  statement  is  found,  from  the 
entrance  of  the  poor  sufferer  into  the  Inquisition  to  the 
time  of  his  release  or  death,  and  in  what  way  it  took 
place,  by  fire  or  other  tortures,  or  by  natural  death.  The 
kind  of  tortures  he  underwent  at  each  examination  is 
described,  and  also  what  confessions  were  extorted  from 
him.  All  these  books  are  alphabetically  arranged.  By 
examining  those  of  late  date  to  the  present  day,  I  find 
that  the  statement  given  me  by  Father  Miranda  of  the 


IN  ROME. 


manner  in  whicli  the  Inquisition  is  now  conducted  is 
entirely  correct.  I  could  have  spent  days  in  this  place 
also ;  but  the  examination  of  some  of  the  books  of 
several  centuries  gave  a  pretty  full  view  of  the  whole 
subject." 

It  is  very  interesting  to  find  that  many,  wearied  with 
the  superstitions,  sorrows,  and  vices  around  them,  were, 
through  the  ever-pervading  presence  of  the  pitying  Spirit 
of  God,  inquiring  the  way  of  life,  and,  on  finding  that 
Mr.  Grellet  was  in  Rome,  came  to  him  privately,  to 
express  their  loss  of  confidence  in  priests  and  in  outward 
observances,  and  to  ask  what  they  must  do  to  find  real 
peace.  Among  others  was  a  young  Prince  Odescalchi 
who  had  established  a  night  retreat  in  Rome  for  every 
one  who  chose  to  come  in  the  evening.  "  No  question 
is  asked  who  the  individual  is,  where  he  comes  from,  nor 
if  he  was  there  before.  There  are  separate  buildings  for 
the  accommodation  of  men  and  women ;  in  each  place 
are  spacious  baths  ;  provision  is  also  made  for  those  who 
have  cutaneous  diseases,  to  be  fumigated.  They  all 
repair  to  a  place  of  worship,  where  the  Prince  addresses 
them  on  subjects  calculated  to  impress  sentiments  of 
inorality  and  virtue.  Those  present,  he  says,  are  generally 
well  known  to  be  immoral  and  vicious  characters  ;  preach- 
ing to  them  was  not  customary,  till  lately  introduced 
by  the  Prince,  who  appears  to  feel  deeply  for  this  poor 
and  wretched  class  of  the  community.  They  all  come 
afterwards  to  the  refectory,  where  supper  is  given  them, 
and  beds  arc  provided  for  all.  In  the  morning  they 
have  water  to  wash,  and  their  breakfast  before  they  dis- 
perse. Many  of  them  return  again  in  the  evening, 
especially  when  the  weather  is  stormy,  or  tliey  have  not 
been  successful  in  begging  to  obtain  sufficient  to  eat. 
Sometimes  this  establishment  has  four  thousand  inmates 
during  the  night.    It  was  a  well  meant  institution,  but 


172 


STEP  HEM  GRELLET. 


the  good  intention  has  been  much  perverted ;  yet  the 
pious  labours  of  the  young  prince  may  prove  a  blessing 
to  some." 

"  9th.  This  morning  I  had  a  message  from  Cardinal 
Consalvi  to  call  upon  him  before  he  went  up  to  the 
Pope,  which  is  at  seven  a.m.  I  went  accordingly.  He 
well  knows  the  dissatisfaction  of  some  of  the  cardinals 
and  others  towards  him,  but  says  it  may  do  good  event- 
ually, that  for  his  part  he  is  fully  disposed  to  serve  me 
in  what  he  can  here  ;  or,  after  my  departure,  whenever  he 
can  do  it.  He  further  said,  that  it  is  very  proper  that  I 
should  be  with  the  Pope  before  I  leave  Rome,  and  re- 
quested me  to  wait  for  his  return  from  his  apartment, 
when  he  might  tell  me  what  time  the  Pope  will  receive 
me.  I  had,  whilst  in  waiting,  an  interesting  time  with 
Capacini,  and  other  secretaries,  etc.  Their  inquiries  led 
me  particularly  to  speak  of  the  influences  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  a  gift  freely  dispensed  of  God,  which  man's  wisdom, 
learning  or  power  cannot  obtain  for  himself ;  much  less 
can  he  dispense  it  to  others  :  by  it  only  the  deep  things 
of  God  can  be  known ;  by  it  acceptable  worship  is 
performed,  qualification  for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
is  received;  the  apostles  were,  by  this,  rendered  able 
ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  not  of  the  letter  but  of 
the  spirit.  This  brought  me  to  state  that  the  popes, 
cardinals,  bishops,  etc.,  in  their  ordination  of  ministers  or 
priests,  cannot  confer  upon  them  spiritual  gifts,  neither 
have  they  themselves  any  in  virtue  of  their  stations  ;  but 
Christ  Jesus,  the  Head  of  the  church,  is  the  giver  of 
spiritual  gifts,  and  with  His  Divine  anointing  He  gives 
power ;  He  alone  can  forgive  sin.  He  only  is  the  Saviour 
of  men.  They  were  all  very  serious  whilst  these  and 
other  subjects  of  vital  importance  were  treated  upon  ; 
that  of  the  mass,  confession,  absolution,  indulgences,  etc., 
were  also  adverted  to.   The  cardinal  came  down,  and  said 


IN  ROME. 


173 


the  Pope  would  see  me  at  twelve  o'clock.  He  knew  that 
the  coiirrier  by  which  I  had  taken  my  seat  for  Florence 
was  to  start  at  one  o'clock ;  but,  said  he,  '  take  no 
thought  about  that ;  the  merrier  shall  not  go  till  you  are 
ready' ;  he  also  said  that  Capacini  would  be  here  in  time 
to  wait  on  me  upstairs,  and  that  he  had  provided  one  of 
his  friends,  approved  by  the  Pope,  who  would,  if  necessary, 
serve  as  interpreter,  and  moreover  be  a  witness  to  correct 
any  misrepresentation  that  envious  spirits  might  attempt 
to  make.  I  returned  to  the  palace  at  the  time  desig- 
nated ;  L'Abbe  Capacini  was  waiting  for  me  ;  we  went 
upstairs,  through  several  apartments,  in  which  were  the 
military  body-guard  ;  for  the  popes  are,  as  kings  of  Rome, 
both  earthly  princes  and  heads  of  the  church.  Thence 
we  entered  into  the  private  apartments ;  the  hangings 
about  the  windows,  coverings  of  the  chairs,  etc.,  were  all  of 
brown  worsted,  or  silk  of  the  same  colour ;  all  very  plain. 
In  a  large  parlour  were  several  priests  ;  among  these,  the 
one  provided  by  Consalvi  to  go  in  with  me  to  the  Pope. 
One,  dressed  like  a  cardinal,  but  who  is  the  Pope's  valet 
de  chambre,  opened  the  door  of  his  cabinet,  and  said  in 
Italian,  '  The  Quaker  has  come  ; '  when  the  Pope  said, 
Let  him  come  in  ; '  on  which  the  priest,  who  was  to 
act  as  interpreter,  led  me  in,  no  one  else  being  present  ; 
as  I  was  entering  the  door,  some  one  behind  me  gently, 
but  quickly,  took  off  my  hat,  and  before  I  could  look  for 
it,  the  door  was  quietly  closed  upon  us  three.  The  Pope 
is  an  old  man;  very  thin,  of  a  mild,  serious  countenance. 
The  whole  of  his  apartment  is  very  plain.  He  was 
sitting  before  a  table ;  his  dress  was  a  long  robe  of  fine 
white  worsted,  and  a  small  cap  of  the  same  (the  cardinals 
have  it  red) ;  he  had  a  few  papers  and  books  before  him  ; 
he  rose  from  his  seat  when  I  came  in,  but  as  he  is 
but  feeble  he  soon  sat  down  again.  He  had  read  my 
reports  to  the  cardinal  respecting  many  of  the  visits  I 


174 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


had  made  in  Rome,  to  prisons,  etc.;  he  entered  feelingly 
on  some  of  these  subjects,  and  intends  to  see  that 
the  treatment  of  prisoners  and  of  the  poor  boys  in  the 
house  of  correction,  and  various  other  subjects  that  I 
have  mentioned,  sliould  be  attended  to,  so  that  Christian 
tenderness  and  care  be  exercised ;  means,  as  he  said, 
more  likely  to  succeed  to  promote  reform  among  them 
than  harsh  treatment.     He  reprobates  the  conduct  of 
their  missionaries  in  Greece  ;  also  the  burning  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  by  the  priests  and  bishops  in  several 
places ;  he  acknowledges,  like  Consalvi,  that  it  militates 
much  against  the  promotion  of  true  Christianity,  and  is 
more  likely  further  to  darken  the  minds  of  the  mass  of 
the  people  than  to  enlighten  them.    On  the  subject  of 
the  Inquisition,  he  said,  he  was  pleased  I  had  seen  for 
myself  what  great  changes  had  been  brought  about  in 
Rome,  in  this  respect ;  that  it  was  a  long  time  before  he 
could  have  it  effected  ;  that  he  has  made  many  efforts  to 
have  similar  alterations  introduced  into  Spain  and  Por- 
tugal ;  had  succeeded  in  part  to  have  the  Inquisition  in 
those  nations  conducted  with  less  rigour,  but  was  far 
from  having  yet  obtained  his  wishes.    '  Men,'  he  said, 
'  think  that  a  Pope  has  plenitude  of  power  in  his 
hands,  but  they  are  much  mistaken  \  my  hands  are 
greatly  tied  in  many  things  ; '  he,  however,  expressed  his 
hope  that  the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  Inquisitions 
everywhere  will  be  totally  done  away.    He  assented  to 
the  sentiment  that  God  alone  has  a  right  to  control  the 
conscience  of  man,  and  that  the  weapons  of  a  Christian 
should  not  be  carnal  but  spiritual.    The  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  being  described,  he  said  that  to  produce  such  and 
for  the  same  end,  spiritual  weapons  should  be  used.  I 
represented  to  him  what  I  had  beheld  in  many  places  in 
Europe,  and  the  West  Indies,  of  the  depravity  and  vices 
of  many  priests  and  monks,  what  a  reproach  they  are  to 


IM  ROME. 


J75 


Christianity,  and  what  corruption  they  are  the  means  of 
spreading  widely  over  the  mass  of  the  people.  I  then 
stated  what  is  the  sacred  office  of  a  minister  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  a  priest  of  God ;  what  the  qualifications  for 
that  office  should  be,  and  who  alone  can  bestow  them. 
As  I  was  speaking  on  these  and  other  subjects  connected 
therewith,  the  Pope  said  several  times,  on  looking  at  the 
priest  present,  '  These  things  are  true  ' ;  and  the  priest's 
answer  was,  '  They  are  so.'  Other  subjects  were  treated 
upon,  as  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  government  of  Christ 
in  His  church,  to  whom  alone  the  rule  and  dominion 
belong;  that  He  is  the  only  door,  the  only  Saviour,  and 
that  those  who  attempt  to  enter  in  by  any  other  door  but 
Him  are  accounted  as  thieves  and  robbers.  Finally,  as 
I  felt  the  love  of  Christ  flowing  in  my  heart  towards  him, 
I  particularly  addressed  him  ;  I  alluded  to  the  various 
sufferings  he  underwent  from  the  hands  of  Napoleon,  the 
deliverance  granted  him  from  the  Lord ;  and  queried 
whether  his  days  were  not  lengthened  out  to  enable  him 
to  glorify  God,  and  exalt  the  name  of  the  Lord  our  Re- 
deemer, Jesus  Christ,  as  the  only  Head  of  the  church, 
the  only  Saviour,  to  whom  alone  every  knee  is  to  bow 
and  every  tongue  is  to  confess ;  that  such  a  confession 
from  him,  in  his  old  age,  would  do  more  towards  the 
advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  promotion  of 
His  glory  than  the  authority  of  all  the  popes,  his  prede- 
cessors, was  ever  able  to  do  ;  moreover,  that  thereby  his 
sun,  now  near  setting,  would  go  down  with  brightness, 
and  his  portion  in  eternity  would  be  with  the  sanctified 
ones,  in  the  joys  of  his  salvation.  The  Pope,  whilst  I 
thus  addressed  him,  kept  his  head  inclined  and  appeared 
tender  ;  then  rising  from  his  seat,  in  a  kind  and  respect- 
ful manner,  he  expressed  a  desire  that  '  the  Lord  would 
bless  and  protect  me  wherever  I  go,'  on  which  I  left 
him. 


176 


STEPHEN  GKELLET. 


"  On  returning  to  the  other  apartment,  my  hat  was  given 
me,  and  excuses  were  made  for  having  taken  it  away, 
stating  that,  as  this  is  done  when  our  Friends  appear 
before  the  king  in  England,  they  thought  they  could  not 
do  otherwise  on  the  present  occasion.  They  also  said : 
'The  Pope  must  have  been  much  pleased  with  your 
visit,  for  we  have  never  known  him  give  one  half  so  much 
time  to  anybody  in  a  private  audience,  nor  conversing 
with  them,  as  he  has  done  with  you.'  My  soul  magnifies 
the  Lord,  my  strength  and  my  help.  The  work  is  His, 
and  the  glory  also  !  May  He  bless  the  work  of  His  own 
hands ! 

"  The  priest  who  was  with  me  before  the  Pope  was  very 
tender,  and  has  now  taken  leave  of  me  in  great  affection. 
Consalvi  met  me  as  I  came  down  from  the  Pope's  apart- 
ment. He  renewed  the  expression  of  his  desire  to  serve 
me  whenever  he  can ;  and,  in  Christian  love,  we  took  a 
solemn  farewell  of  one  another. 

"  I  came  to  my  inn  to  prepare  for  my  journey ;  it  was 
a  considerable  time  after  the  hour  at  which  the  courrier 
usually  sets  off;  but  when  I  came  to  the  post-house,  I 
met  one  of  the  attendants  of  the  cardinal,  who  told  me 
that  the  courrier  had  orders  to  wait  for  me  ;  th^t,  there- 
fore, I  need  not  hurry  myself.  I  was,  however,  ready  to 
go." 

It  was  an  altogether  unprecedented  event  that  a  faith- 
ful witness  for  the  simplicity  and  purity  of  Christian 
faith  and  worship  should  have  had  this  free  access  to  the 
Vatican  and  other  palaces  of  church  dignitaries.  His 
singleness  of  aim  and  purity  of  purpose,  his  disinterested 
devotedness  and  integrity  in  the  discharge  of  an  appre- 
hended duty,  made  a  deep  impression.  The  poorest  of 
the  poor,  the  most  wretched  criminals  in  miserable  cells, 
as  well  as  princes,  nobles,  and  priests,  recognised  the 
hallowed  sway  of  his  unstriving  and  holy  influence. 


m  ROME. 


177 


Opposition  was,  however,  awakened  from  less  liberal 
cardinals  and  inferior  officials.  It  is  probable  that,  had 
he  remained  much  longer  near  the  Vatican,  his  further 
progress  would  have  been  interrupted.  No  man  is  in 
the  Divine  order,  who  courts  persecution.  Providence 
must  interpret  God's  will. 

Travelling  night  and  day,  he  arrived  at  Florence  on 
the  nth  of  December,  1819.  His  mission  in  that  city 
of  beauty,  and  afterwards  in  Leghorn,  Venice,  Verona 
and  other  Italian  cities,  was  one  of  mercy. 

And  here  again  let  it  be  noted  that  if  Stephen  Grellet 
visited  in  palaces,  and  had  access  to  distinguished 
potentates  in  an  altogether  unexampled  manner,  his 
main  work  was  among  sufferers.  Let  us  note  those 
great  words  of  the  prophet  concerning  the  Messiah:  "He 
shall  cause  judgment  to  go  forth  in  truth ;  He  shall  not 
fail  nor  be  discouraged  till  He  have  set  judgment  in  the 
earth,"  The  one  prevailing  wrong  in  the  earth  through 
all  the  ages  has  been  injustice.  In  the  days  when  Mr. 
Grellet  travelled  he  was  unable  to  follow  his  Lord  in  the 
promotion  of  judgment  and  justice,  except  through  the 
great  potentates  of  the  empires  he  visited ;  but  of  him  it 
may  be  said,  as  Burke  eloquently  said  of  Howard,  and 
at  no  period  of  his  mission  more  than  when  in  Central 
Italy,  his  object  was  not  to  study  art  or  find  pleasure  in 
beauty,  "  but  to  dive  into  the  depths  of  dungeons,  to 
plunge  into  the  infection  of  hospitals,  to  survey  the  man- 
sions of  sorrow  and  pain  ;  to  take  the  gauge  and  dimen- 
sions of  misery,  depression,  and  contempt ;  to  remember 
the  forgotten,  to  attend  to  the  neglected,  to  visit  the 
forsaken,  and  to  compare  and  collate  the  distresses  of  all 
men  in  all  countries." 


N 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THIRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE. 

IT  has  been  observed  that  Mr.  Grellet's  Journal  was 
written  to  afford  information  of  the  way  in  which 
God  led  him,  to  his  relatives  and  to  the  Society  of 
Friends,  who  gave  to  him  their  entire  and  most  grateful 
confidence.  It  is  more  the  record  of  his  outward  than 
of  his  inner  life.  Nevertheless  there  are  glimpses  from 
time  to  time  of  what  he  terms  "  the  exercises  of  his 
soul "  as  he  pursued  his  apostolic  career.  There  would 
appear  to  have  been  prolonged  seasons  of  humiliation, 
watchings,  and  prayers  before  God.  When  he  speaks  of 
being  "very  low,"  and  "very  poor,"  the  reference  is 
clearly  to  his  hours  of  self  prostration.  Sometimes, 
as  he  entered  on  important  engagements,  there  were 
"  wrestlings  "  with  God  like  Jacob's  at  Peniel,  as  the 
patriarch  pleaded  that  the  reproach  and  punishment  of 
his  great  act  of  deception  towards  his  father  might  be 
wiped  away,  and  whereby  in  the  dawn  of  the  morning, 
after  that  night  agony,  his  name  was  changed  from  that 
of  a  "supplanter"  to  that  of  a  "prince  with  God." 
Sometimes,  and  more  often,  there  were  long  and  silent 
waitings  on  God  :  silent  waitings,  when  the  soul  has 
not  even  its  earnestness  and  fervour  of  prayer  on  which 
it  can  rely,  but  when  human  desires  and  self-will  are 
annihilated,  and  God  becomes  all  in  all.  No  attitude 
is  more  fitted  to  the  creature  and  more  blessed  than 
this.    God  is  on  the  throne,  man  is  in  the  dust.  In 

such  fellowship  the  consciousness  of  a  man  is  opened 

17S 


rniRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE.  179 


in  a  way  Iiumaii  philosophy  cannot  explain ;  unused 
faculties  of  the  spirit  are  then  unsealed  and  directed ; 
man  is  in  sympathy  with  the  Divine  love,  and  is  freely 
controlled  by  the  Divine  wisdom. 

There  were  two  convictions  perpetually  actuating  Mr. 
Grellet,  and  Avhich  constantly  find  utterance  in  his 
Journal  and  letters.  These  were  that  "  the  Lord  had  a 
seed  precious  in  His  sight  in  these  FAiropean  nations," 
and  that  he  might  do  his  "share  in  the  great  work  of 
refreshing  that  seed."  In  Bavaria  he  found  that  the  per- 
secutions which  were  instigated  by  the  papal  priests  were 
sending  the  best  persons  out  of  the  kingdom.  He  sought 
out  these  harassed  ones ;  he  testified  to  rich  and  poor, 
to  devout  nobles  and  pious  peasants,  that  "plausible  cere- 
monies might  be  mere  pretensions  to  religion."  Not 
content  therewith  he  records  : 

"  I  went  to  the  palace.  I  soon  saw  that  my  prayers 
had  been  heard  ;  the  heart  of  the  King  was  opened  to- 
wards me.  I  had  proceeded  but  a  little  way  in  pleading 
the  cause  of  his  persecuted  subjects,  on  account  of  their 
conscientious  scruples  against  the  principles  and  doctrines 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  when  the  King  said  he  increas- 
ingly felt  how  delicate,  tender  and  important  that  subject 
was  ;  I  encouraged  him  to  take  the  precepts  of  Christ 
for  his  rule  in  the  government  of  his  kingdom,  and  to 
seek  for  and  act  himself  under  the  influence  of  His  Spirit. 
I  made  particular  allusion  to  perilous  times  in  which  he 
had  lived,  and  the  deliverance  granted  him  of  the  Lord. 
I  pressed  earnestly  upon  him  the  necessity,  now  especi- 
ally in  his  advanced  life,  to  spend  his  remaining  days  in 
the  fear  of  God,  and  in  acts  of  piety,  virtue,  mercy  and 
justice,  desiring  that  he  may  himself  obtain  mercy  and 
favour  of  God,  and  have  a  well  grounded  hope  that,  when 
he  has  to  lay  down  his  eartlily  crown,  he  may  be  prepared 
to  have  it  exchanged  for  one  everlastingly  glorious.  The 


i8o 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


King  was  tender.  He  took  me  in  his  arms  with  affection, 
and  craved  that  the  Lord  may  grant  my  heart's  desire 
for  him,  and  bless  me  wherever  I  go. 

"  After  this  I  was  with  the  Crown  Prince.  I  encour- 
aged him  to  adhere  closely  to  Christ ;  to  follow  the  light 
by  which  things  reprovable  in  the  sight  of  God  are  made 
manifest,  for  the  commission  of  which  the  Spirit  of 
Truth  condemns  us.  I  told  him  that  it  is  by  the  Divine 
Spirit  that  power  is  given  us  to  do,  or  to  cease  from 
doing,  what  we  cannot  in  our  own  will  and  strength.  I 
left  him  in  a  tender  state  of  mind.  I  then  went  a  third 
time  to  the  Minister  of  Finance,  and  had  a  solemn  part- 
ing opportunity  with  him  and  his  family.  I  hope  that 
the  King  and  his  ministers,  and  the  Crown  Prince  also, 
are  strengthened  to  resist  being  any  longer  made  the 
tools  of  the  nuncio  of  the  Pope,  their  bishops,  etc.,  in 
the  oppression  of  the  pious  people  here. 

"  This  evening  a  large  number  met  me  once  more  at 
my  lodgings.  Among  them  was  again  the  young  Prince 
Oettingen.  The  Lord's  power  was  sweetly  felt  to  be  over 
us.  It  was  a  time  when  solemn  resolutions  were  formed. 
May  they  keep  their  covenants  unbroken.  I  have  several 
messages  from  persons  at  court,  who  wish  me  to  visit 
them  ;  but  I  believe  my  work  here,  for  the  present,  has 
come  to  an  end.  I  commend  them  to  God,  and  the 
word  of  His  grace,  which  is  very  near  them.  He  can  do 
the  work  for  them.  All  that  the  Lord's  servants  can  do 
is  to  direct  men  to  Christ.  He  alone  is  the  Deliverer 
and  Saviour." 

In  the  like  spirit  he  went  into  the  dominions  of  the 
King  of  Wurtemburg,  and  states  : 

"  On  coming  out  of  a  prison  I  was  met  by  the  Prince 
Kodalesky,  who  had  been  in  search  of  me  at  several 
places,  to  let  me  know  that  the  King  wished  to  see  me  this 
evening ;  being  then  not  far  from  the  palace,  I  went  there 


THIRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE.  i8i 

immediately,  though  I  had  not  taken  any  refreshment 
since  breakfast,  and  I  felt  much  spent  by  the  close  en- 
gagements of  the  day.  The  King  was  alone,  waiting  for 
me  ;  he  knew  that  I  was  in  Russia  last  winter,  and  with 
his  late  wife's  mother  and  her  brother,  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander, a  few  days  after  they  received  the  mournful  tidings 
of  her  decease ;  he  continues  to  feel  deeply  his  great 
bereavement ;  he  held  me  by  the  hands,  whilst  large 
tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks.  The  best  proof,  said  he, 
that  he  could  give,  how  much  he  honoured  his  late  queen, 
and  how  dear  she  was  to  him,  was  to  endeavour  to  imi- 
tate her  in  her  piety  and  virtue,  and  also  to  keep  up  all 
her  establishments  of  benevolence  on  the  same  footing 
that  she  had  placed  them.  He  also  reverently  spoke  of 
the  comfort  the  Lord  extends  to  him,  in  the  assurance 
that,  through  His  mercy,  his  dear  departed  one  has  made 
a  blessed  exchange  in  passing  from  time  to  eternity,  so 
that  his  great  loss  is  her  unspeakable  gain.  His  mind 
was  open  to  receive  what  I  had  to  impart  of  the  consola- 
tions  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  of  the  good  hope  that 
the  Christian  believer  has,  when  he  shall  have  fulfilled 
the  days  of  his  earthly  probation.  I  endeavoured  to 
encourage  him  so  to  live  and  act  as  to  honour  the  Lord 
during  the  residue  of  his  life,  and  to  promote,  by  his  ex- 
ample and  precepts,  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  which  stands  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  that,  whatever  other  kings  may  do,  he 
may  resolve  to  seek  peace  and  pursue  it ;  to  be  very 
tender  of  the  consciences  of  all  his  subjects,  and  to  rule 
over  them  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God.  He  was  very 
tender,  and  fully  acknowledged  the  truth  of  what  I  said 
to  him.  Before  I  left  him,  the  King  asked  if  I  should 
not  like  to  see  his  dear  motherless  children.  I  told  him 
that  their  grandmother,  the  Empress  dowager,  had  re- 
quested me  to  do  so.    Then  he  appointed  the  time  of 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


my  coming  again  to  the  palace,  at  seven  to-morrow 
evening. 

"  In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  palace  at  the  appointed 
hour.  I  found  the  King  again  alone.  We  conversed  for 
about  half  an  hour  on  religious  subjects,  particularly  on 
such  as  pertain  to  that  salvation  which  is  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  also  on  the  religious  and  moral  education 
of  the  youth  in  general.  The  King  concludes  to  send 
some  young  men  and  women  to  London,  to  become 
qualified  to  introduce  here  schools  on  the  plan  of  mutual 
instruction,  and  to  have  the  '  Scripture  Lessons  '  used  in 
them,  having  them  printed  in  German.  He  again  fully 
expressed  his  views  respecting  liberty  of  conscience,  and 
has  lately  acted  accordingly.  A  body  of  persons  had 
separated,  on  religious  grounds,  from  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  built  a  meeting  house  at  Kornthal.  Wil- 
liam Hoffmann,  a  member  of  the  Legislative  Body,  is 
one  of  the  principal  men  in  the  separation.  The  clergy 
in  a  body  Avaited  upon  the  King  to  request  him  to 
dismiss  AVilliam  Hoffmann  from  his  public  office,  thereby 
to  manifest  his  disapprobation  of  his  conduct.  He  told 
them  that  he  could  not  do  any  such  thing,  that  he 
should  not  interfere  with  any  of  his  subjects  on  account 
of  their  religious  or  conscientious  views.  I  told  the  King 
that  I  had  heard  of  those  persons ;  that  some  spoke 
much  in  their  favour,  others  against  them  ;  and  that  I  had 
it  under  consideration  to  go  and  see  them  the  next  day. 
The  King  encouraged  me  to  go,  and  to  judge  for  myself 
He  then  asked  me  to  accompany  hira  upstairs  to  the 
nursery.  We  passed  through  a  long  range  of  apartments, 
all  richly  furnished.  I  could  not  refrain  from  saying, 
'  How  many  unnecessary  wants  we  make  to  ourselves  !  ' 
We  came  at  last  to  the  children's  apartments, — the  two 
little  princesses  by  his  late  queen,  and  her  two  sons  by 
the  Duke  of  Oldenburg.    ]\Lary,  the  eldest  of  the  prin- 


THIRD  VISIT  TO  CEMTRAI.  EUROPE.  1S3 


cesses,  is  only  three  years  old,  and  yet  speaks  good  Eng- 
lish, French,  and  German  ;  her  sister  is  only  eighteen 
months  old.  The  King,  on  presenting  them  to  me,  was 
bathed  in  tears.  On  our  return  from  the  nursery,  he 
took  me  through  the  apartments  that  the  Queen  used  to 
occupy.  I  felt  the  love  of  the  blessed  Redeemer  to- 
wards him,  and  endeavoured  to  encourage  him  in  a 
faithful  adherence  to  the  dictates  of  the  Divine  Spirit, 
and  day  by  day  to  wait  upon  the  Lord,  that  he  may 
receive  renewed  strength  to 'perform  the  vows  that  he 
had  made  in  the  days  of  his  distress.  He  would  follow 
me  to  the  outer  door  of  the  palace,  and,  on  parting,  de- 
sired to  continue  to  have  a  place  in  my  remembrance 
and  prayers,  and  that  if  at  any  time  he  could  serve  me 
I  would  let  him  know.  This  is  a  time  of  gracious  visit- 
ation to  his  soul.  May  the  Lord  prosper  His  work  with 
him  ! 

"  I  am  greatly  bowed  down  before  the  Lord  whilst  con- 
templating His  power,  love,  and  mercy.  I  behold  the 
efficacy  of  it  in  poorhouses  and  in  palaces,  among  all 
classes  of  men  of  every  nation  or  religious  denomination. 
The  works  of  the  Lord  in  every  part  of  His  dominion 
proclaim  His  gracious  and  powerful  name." 

Thus  he  went  on  to  Switzerland. 

"  I  visited  several  serious  families,  and  had  some  re- 
ligious service  with  them." 

"  I  was  in  several  families  with  whom  I  had  religious 
opportunities.  I  had  also  two  meetings :  one  at  the 
venerable  aged  Antistes  Hess's." 

"Geneva,  5th.  I  was  on  the  road  some  hours  before 
daylight  this  morning.  On  arriving  here  I  was  greatly 
comforted  by  meeting  with  my  beloved  friend,  William 
Allen;  he  could  not  obtain  a  passage  from  Malta  for 
France,  which  induced  him  to  come  by  land  from  Italy 
on  his  way  to  Paris  and  London  ;  he  has  recovered  his 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


health.  It  is  cause  of  much  gratitude  that  we  thus  meet 
again.  Now  we  are  permitted  to  enjoy  very  sweetly 
the  preciousness  of  fellowship  in  our  Lord  and  Redeemer 
Jesus  Christ,  and  had  a  refreshing  and  consoling  time 
together  in  prostration  of  soul  before  Him. 

"  6th.  We  visited  together  several  pious  persons.  In 
the  evening  we  went  to  pastor  Moulinier's,  where  we  had 
appointed  a  meeting.  We  have  felt  very  tenderly  for 
him  and  pastor  Demalleyer;  they  have  to  endure  much 
from  several  of  the  clergy  in  this  place." 

Completing  such  engagements  among  the  Swiss,  and 
warning  faithfully  against  the  Socinianism  everywhere 
seeking  to  undermine  faith  in  the  Divine  Redeemer, 
Stephen  Grellet  entered  France  once  more.  The  same 
object  was  stiU  laid  on  his  heart,  as  he  travelled  through 
his  native  land.  In  every  place  to  which  he  came,  with 
beautiful  brotherliness  and  tenderness  he  sought  and 
strengthened  faithful  disciples.  Among  other  places  he 
again  visited  Brives,  and  writes  : 

"Brives,  Third  Month  3rd,  1820.  I  am  greatly  com- 
forted in  my  beloved  aged  mother,  now  above  eighty 
years  old.  Her  mind  is  clear,  and  she  is  green  in  the 
Divine  life.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  truly  precious  to  her, 
I  have  had  some  tendering  seasons  with  her  and  my 
other  near  relatives.  Some  of  them  now  see  beyond 
the  priests,  and  their  prescribed  forms  and  ceremonies 
in  religion. 

"6th.  I  had  some  satisfactory  meetings  with  the 
persons  I  visited  when  here  before,  and  especially  with 
the  dear  nuns. 

"  Limoges,  8th.  I  arrived  here  yesterday  morning. 
My  parting  with  my  beloved  mother  was  truly  solemn. 
It  may  probably  be  a  final  separation  here  on  earth. 
On  bended  knees,  my  soul  was  very  reverently  prostrated 
before  the  Lord,  and  I  was  engaged  in  putting  up  my 


THIRD  VIS  17  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE.  185 


supplications  unto  Him  for  her,  when,  bathed  with  tears, 
she  also  kneeled  down  by  me. 

"  My  distress  for  this  nation,  the  land  of  my  nativity, 
is  also  great.  I  see  blackness  hanging  over  them.  The 
Lord  will  overturn,  till  He  comes  and  reigns,  whose 
only  right  it  is.  Since  coming  here,  I  have  had  several 
religious  opportunities  in  the  families  of  such  as  I 
mingled  with  heretofore  in  religious  fellowship,  and  some 
meetings  of  a  more  public  nature.  I  was  also  with 
several  of  the  nuns ;  two  of  whom  are  my  cousins,  who 
retain  their  religious  tenderness. 

"Paris,  14th.  I  entered  this  great  city  with  a  heavy 
heart.  Darkness  and  impiety  prevail  to  a  lamentable 
extent.  But  the  Loi-d  has  a  remnant  even  here,  both 
among  Roman  Catholics  and  Protestants,  who  are  as  a 
little  salt  among  them. 

In  the  same  spirit  he  came  over  to  England,  whither 
William  Allen  had  preceded  him.  Let  it  be  noticed,  he 
never  assumed  any  superior  knowledge  or  insight  into  the 
gospel  of  love.  The  language  of  the  apostle,  to  Christians 
at  Rome,  was  his  to  Christians  here  :  "  I  long  to  see  you 
that  I  may  impart  unto  you  some  spiritual  gift,  to  the 
end  ye  may  be  established ;  that  is  [drawing  back  any 
supposed  air  of  superiority],  that  I  may  be  comforted 
together  with  you  by  the  mutual  faith  both  of  you  and 
me."  He  tells  us  in  one  place  what  his  message  to  such 
was.  "  I  am  often  reminded,"  he  says,  "  of  the  language 
of  Paul :  '  Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the 
gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you  \  by  which  also  ye 
are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I  preached  unto 
you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain.  For  I  delivered 
unto  you  first  of  all  that  which  I  also  received,  how  that 
Christ  died  for  our  sins,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and 
that  He  was  buried,  and  that  He  rose  again  the  third  day, 
according  to  the  Scriptures.'  " 


i86 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


It  would  however  be  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  his 
preaching  was  merely  elementary.  Dr.  C.  van  Renselaer, 
the  eminent  Presbyterian  minister  of  Burlington,  New 
Jersey,  where  Mr.  Grellet  had  his  home,  as  well  as  a 
newspaper  of  that  place,  thus  spoke  of  him  : 

"  His  gospel  preaching  was  of  a  character  rarely 
equalled,  and  probably  nowhere  surpassed.  Its  chief 
characteristic  was  its  wonderful  vitality.  Perfectly  free 
from  every  trace  of  egotism,  he  preached  '  Jesus  Christ, 
and  Him  crucified.'  The  sufferings  of  his  Lord  for  the 
sake  of  sinful  man  deeply  and  abidingly  affected  his  soul. 
His  sermons  manifested  an  extraordinary  originality, 
scope  of  thought,  and  spiritual  wealth.  With  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit,  and  with  power,  he  illustrated  his 
subjects  with  passages  brought  from  various  parts  of  the 
sacred  volume,  and  which  the  hearer  found  presented  in 
a  light  in  which  he  never  saw  them  before.  Holding  all 
mankind  as  his  brethren,  his  public  ministry  and  prayers 
evinced  his  large-minded  sympathy  with  the  whole 
human  race,  and  his  deep  interest  in  the  movements 
among  the  nations." 

Evidences  are  also  furnished  of  that  compassionateness 
and  power  to  enter  into  the  feelings  of  others  which  are 
the  indispensable  elements  of  effective  preaching.  "  A 
heart  of  larger  sympathy,"  says  one,  "  I  have  never  known, 
or  one  more  ready  to  comprehend  and  minister  unto 
afflictions  which  were  carefully  concealed.  Whatever  was 
the  sorrow  of  others,  it  was  a  present  sorrow  to  him.  The 
irreligious  were  deeply  impressed  by  the  unmistakable 
halo  of  good  to  be  felt  about  him.  His  was  the  gentle, 
kindly,  and  true  heart  of  one  who  was  carefully  following 
Christ." 

The  wonderful  ministry  he  once  more  conducted 
through  these  British  isles  covered  a  wide  area.  The 
dawn  of  the  great  evangelical  revival  in  England  was 


THIRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRA  I  EUROPE.  1S7 


now  beginning,  and  the  quiet  power  which  accompa- 
nied Stephen  Grellet  must  have  signally  contributed  to 
the  result.  He  was  at  this  time  in  the  fulness  of  his 
manhood  and  wisdom.  What  Gessner  says  of  him  a 
few  years  later  must  have  been  also  true  of  this  period. 
"  His  noble,  simple,  yet  dignified  bearing,  and  his  apo- 
stolic appearance  made  a  strong  impression  upon  all." 
He  attended  in  the  north  and  east  of  London  meetings 
of  Friends,  and  says,  "  The  Lord  very  graciously  re- 
freshed us  together."  In  Westminster  he  met  the 
nobility  of  the  west  end,  and  simply  records,  "  It  was 
a  quiet  good  meeting."  In  Yorkshire  he  speaks  of 
meetings  which  "  were  crowned  by  the  Divine  presence." 
In  Ireland  he  writes  of  younger  members  of  the  society 
who  had  been  estranged  from  the  Christian  simplicity  of 
evangelical  truth,  and  were  "again  brought  under  the 
baptizing  i^ower  of  it."  In  Bristol  he  refers  to  meetings 
when  "the  Lord's  power  rose  into  dominion."  Thus  he 
ministered  through  these  isles  with  that  quiet  but  irresist- 
ible efficiency  which  marks  the  best  revivals  of  religion. 
God's  greatest  forces  in  the  universe  are  very  silent  ones. 

Nor  were  instances  wanting  of  that  "discerning  of 
spirits "  which  continually  attended  his  ministrations. 
He  writes  of  a  visit  to  a  Moravian  establishment,  when 
the  lady  at  the  head  "gave  me  such  a  welcome  as  I 
could  not  at  first  understand,  not  recollecting  to  have 
seen  her  before,  but  I  found  that  she  had  been  at  the 
head  of  the  Moravian  establishment  in  Dublin  when 
I  visited  it.  In  the  course  of  my  religious  communica- 
tion at  that  time  I  particularly  addressed  a  young  woman, 
warning  her  against  yielding  to  the  strong  temptation 
which  was  assailing  her ;  for  if  she  did,  anguish  and 
misery  would  be  the  result ;  but  if  she  sought  the  Lord 
for  help  to  resist  it.  Lie  would  be  her  saving  strength, 
and  would  greatly  bless  her  succeeding  days.    I  knew 


iSS 


STEPHEN  GRELLE7. 


nothing  concerning  the  young  woman,  but  I  could  not 
help  thinking  my  address  to  her  a  singular  one.  Now 
I  am  informed  that  a  young  nobleman  had  found  means 
of  obtaining  access  to  her,  and  under  fair  pretences  of 
strong  affection,  and  promise  to  marry  her,  had  nearly 
persuaded  her  to  elope  with  him.  This  had  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  my  informant  a  very  short  time  before 
I  was  there.  As  soon  as  I  went  away  the  young  woman 
came  to  her,  bitterly  reproaching  her  for  telling  me  the 
circumstances ;  but  she  satisfied  her  fully  that  she  had 
not  been  with  me,  except  in  the  presence  of  them  all, 
and  that  nobody  could  have  told  me  about  it,  since  no 
other  person  was  in  the  secret;  she  must  therefore 
consider  it  as  a  particular  interposition  of  the  Lord  to 
induce  her  to  flee  from  temptation,  and  to  escape  the 
ruin  that  threatened  her.  The  young  woman  resolved, 
by  the  Lord's  help,  to  do  so ;  she  was  enabled  to  resist, 
and  soon  after  heard  that  he  who  had  made  such  fair 
promises  to  her  was  a  profligate  man." 

From  many  other  like  instances  we  extract  the  following. 

"  At  Saffron  Walden,  in  the  course  of  his  ministry,  he 
felt  drawn  to  speak  on  the  evils  of  infidelity,  when  a 
sceptic  who  was  present  was  brought  under  such  strong 
convictions  under  the  Lord's  power  that  he  wept  aloud." 

In  Switzerland  "  a  considerable  number  of  serious 
persons  had  met  at  pastor  Demalleyer's  house.  After 
some  instructive  conversation,  a  time  of  silence  ensued. 
The  whole  company  seemed  impressed  with  the  solem- 
nity of  it.  It  was  some  time  before  anything  was  said. 
Stephen  Grellet  then  addressed  the  company  in  a  very 
edifying  manner.  Whilst  he  was  speaking,  a  gentleman 
who  was  but  slightly  known  to  the  family,  and  had  never 
before  attended  the  little  meetings  occasionally  held  at 
their  house,  entered  the  room  and  took  his  seat  by  the 
door  without   interrupting   the  stillness,  and,  it  was 


THIRD   VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROPE.  1S9 


thought,  unobserved  by  the  speaker.  For  a  while  there 
was  no  change  in  the  tenor  of  his  discourse,  but  towards 
the  conclusion  he  was  led  to  address  himself,  with  in- 
creased solemnity,  to  an  individual  whom  he  described 
as  being  in  the  greatest  danger  of  committing  suicide. 
After  a  solemn  warning  against  the  fearful  sin  and  its 
awful  consequences,  the  forgiving  mercy  of  God,  the 
bountiful  provisions  and  the  entreaties  and  promises  ot 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  all-sufficiency  of  the  help 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  for  the  most  destitute  and  sinful, 
were  dwelt  upon  in  such  a  manner  that  all  present  were 
deeply  affected,  wondering  at  the  same  time  why  they 
should  be  thus  addressed.  But  from  that  time  it  was 
remarked  that  the  gentleman  who  had  unexpectedly  come 
into  the  room  whilst  Mr.  Grellet  was  speaking  became 
more  serious,  and  frequently  attended  the  evening  ser- 
vices which  continued  to  be  held  by  the  little  company 
of  pious  persons  with  whom  he  had  mingled.  It  was 
not  however  till  many  years  after  that  the  gentleman 
informed  pastor  Demalleyer  that  on  the  evening  of  the 
meeting  he  had  left  his  own  house,  under  the  pressure  of 
great  trials,  with  the  full  determination  to  throw  himself 
into  the  lake.  On  his  way  to  it  an  involuntary  impulse 
caused  him  to  take  a  less  direct  course,  which  brought 
him  to  the  house  of  the  pastor.  He  entered  it,  he 
scarcely  knew  why,  and,  through  the  Divine  blessing,  it 
proved  the  means  of  his  deliverance." 

In  the  south  of  France,  while  addressing  a  meeting, 
he  was  impelled  to  utter  a  warning  to  turn  from  rash 
purposes,  and,  after  the  example  of  the  prodigal  son,  to 
return  to  the  heavenly  Father.  He  was  astonished  that 
in  a  place  where  comfort  and  encouragement  seemed 
needed  he  should  have  been  constrained  to  bear  such  a 
testimony ;  but  he  was  afterwards  more  surprised  to  find 
that  a  son  of  the  devoted  and  saintly  Oberlin  had  unex- 


STEP  IT  F.N  GKELLET. 


pectedly  entered  the  meeting.  "He  was  in  the  practice 
of  frequenting  unprofitable  company  ;  he  had  concluded 
to  go  that  very  night  to  Strasburg  to  enlist  as  a  soldier. 
Hearing  of  the  meeting,  curiosity  brought  him  there. 
The  word  preached  sank  deep  into  his  heart ;  the  Spirit 
of  Truth,  the  faithful  Witness,  performed  His  office  in 
him  ;  his  purposes  were  changed,  and  he  spent  the  night 
in  retirement  and  prostration  of  soul  before  God  ;  so 
that  it  might  be  said  of  him  as  of  Saul,  after  the  Lord 
had  appeared  to  him  in  the  way,  'Behold  he  prayeth.'" 
Thus  the  son  of  Oberlin  was  kept  back  from  a  course  of 
ruin,  and  a  father's  prayers  were  answered. 

After  the  meetings  in  Great  Britain  above  referred  to, 
Mr.  Grellet  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  return  to  the  United 
States.  His  presence  would  be  needed  there.  On  the 
one  hand  religious  troubles  would  sorely  tax  the  fortitude 
of  American  Quakers  ;  on  the  other,  now  that  the  cotton 
trade,  in  the  general  revival  of  commercial  prosperity, 
would  take  a  new  start,  the  profits  of  African  slavery 
would  provoke  a  greed  and  inhumanity  which  would 
make  the  work  of  all  Abolitionists  more  imperatively 
urgent.    The  Journal  records  : 

"  Lancaster.  John  Hustler  kindly  accompanied  G. 
Stacey  and  myself  to  this  place,  by  way  of  Settle.  On 
the  road  my  mind  was  engaged  in  retracing  my  steps  and 
exercises  among  the  nations  I  have  lately  visited  ;  the  sore 
troubles  that  have  attended  me,  the  peculiarity  of  my 
religious  engagements  among  the  rich  and  the  poor, 
military  and  clerical  characters,  in  palaces  and  prisons, 
and  how  my  blessed  Lord  and  Master  has  been  with  me, 
His  very  poor  servant,  to  uphold  and  help.  I  was  greatly 
contrited  before  Him ;  truly  did  I  say  :  '  Great  and 
marvellous  are  Thy  works.  Lord  God  Almighty  ;  just 
and  true  are  Thy  ways.  Thou  King  of  saints  ;  who  would 
not  fear  Thee  ?  who  would  not  glorify  Thy  name  ? ' 


THIRD  VISIT  TO  CENTRAL  EUROTE.  191 


Should  my  life  be  prolonged  to  that  of  the  antediluvians, 
the  period  thus  lengthened  would  be  too  short  to  pro- 
claim the  whole  of  the  praise  and  the  glory  of  my  dear 
Redeemer.  Amidst  these  feelings,  however,  I  remember 
the  Lord's  disciples  who  were  telling  Him  what  great 
things  they  had  been  enabled  to  do  through  His  name. 
He  forewarned  them  of  the  sore  trials  that  were  impend- 
ing on  them  :  '  But  now  I  say  unto  you,  let  him  that 
hath  no  sword  sell  his  garment  and  buy  one.'  So  a 
sense  is  given  me  of  the  sore  tribulations  that  await  me 
on  my  return  to  America.  If  my  dear  Lord  and  IMaster 
is  rejected  and  traduced,  I,  who  am  but  a  very  poor 
servant,  if  I  keep  my  allegiance  to  Him,  must  not  expect 
to  escape  my  share  of  the  afflictions  of  the  gospel.  My 
prayer  is  that  the  Lord  would  clothe  me  with  His  holy 
armour  of  light,  strengthen  my  faith  in  Him,  and  preserve 
me  in  patient  suffering  with  and  for  Him,  even  though 
all  should  forsake  Him." 

It  has  been  maintained  of  late  that  the  absence  of  a 
high  and  consecrated  life  in  these  times  is  to  be  traced 
to  vague  and  indefinite  views  of  religious  truth,  and  to 
the  fact  that  the  authority  of  theological  systems  has 
ceased  to  sway  this  generation.  This  cannot  be  doubted. 
But  the  predominating  cause  is  in  one  sentence  :  Christian 
persons  have  lost  conscience  as  to  the  imperious  necessity 
of  communion  with  God  in  the  daily  reading  of  Scripture, 
and  by  means  of  private,  closet  prayer.  Herein  lay  the 
sources  of  strength  and  wisdom  in  Stephen  Grellet.  As 
well  expect  nature  to  flourish  without  God's  atmosphere, 
as  for  the  soul  of  man  to  think  and  feel  riglitly  wlien  out 
of  fellowship  with  God. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


FAITHFUL  WITNESSING. 

MR.  GRELLET  landed  at  New  York  August  7th, 
1820.  He  records: — "I  met  my  beloved  wife 
and  daughter,  who  came  two  days  since  from  Burlington, 
to  await  my  arrival ;  and  they  did  not  wait  long.  Our 
hearts  overflowed  with  gratitude  at  our  being  permitted 
to  meet  again,  after  an  absence  of  two  years  and  two 
months,  during  which  I  have  travelled  about  twenty-two 
thousand  miles.  Silent  and  reverent  prostration  of  soul 
before  the  Lord  was  our  only  language  to  one  another, 
for  some  time ;  then,  on  bended  knees,  and  with  a  bowed 
spirit,  thanksgiving,  adoration,  and  praise  were  offered  to 
the  Lord." 

The  ensuing  winter  and  spring  were  spent  in  the 
bosom  of  his  own  family,  and  he  adds  :  "  Our  hearts  are 
often  bowed  in  much  gratitude  under  a  sense  of  our 
many  favours,  and  we  esteem  it  a  great  one  to  pass  now 
so  much  time  together." 

In  1822  he  again  entered  upon  an  extensive  visit  to 
Friends  in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  After  this, 
early  in  1824,  the  duty  appeared  to  be  laid  upon  him  of 
a  tour  through  the  Southern  and  slaveholding  States. 
The  cruel  usage  of  the  slaves  lay  heavily  on  his  heart. 
The  yoke  of  slavery  was  most  oppressive  at  this  time  ; 
scarcely  a  gleam  of  hope  cheered  the  heart  of  the  few 
philanthropic  men  who  were  enduring  bitter  enmity  from 
interested  men  in  the  North,  and  whose  names  were 
laden  with  the  curses  of  the  South.    The  attitude  of  the 


FAITHFUL  IVITNESSIXG. 


193 


Southern  States  in  favour  of  slavery  was  so  pronounced, 
determined,  and  virulent  as  to  produce  hatred  and  insult 
against  every  man  who  witnessed  against  the  evil.  Into 
this  dark  region  of  bondage  Stephen  Grellet  entered. 
He  did  so  in  no  temper  of  angry  denunciation  ;  he 
writes  :  "  I  feel  for  the  poor  and  oppressed  descendants 
of  Africa,  and  not  less  awfully  for  their  oppressors."  In 
this  spirit  he  went  through  Virginia,  thence  into  Ohio, 
and  thence  through  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  as 
far  as  New  Orleans.  Wherever  he  went,  into  whatsoever 
State  or  city,  this  was  his  testimony,  that  "  slavery  and 
all  kinds  of  oppression  were  contrary  to  the  law  of  God, 
which  is  one  not  of  selfish  cruelty  but  of  human  love  and 
mercy."  He  protested  continually  against  State  laws 
whereby  slaves  were  liable  to  be  imprisoned,  and  to 
receive  twenty-five  lashes  if  they  attended  religious  meet- 
ings. He  called  this  "  wickedness,"  and  warned  the  men 
who  "put  such  wicked  laws  in  force." 

In  public  and  private  religious  meetings  he  had 
numerous  opportunities  of  bearing  witness  against 
slaveholding.  He  was  again  and  again  told  that  his 
mission  would  lead  to  a  rising  of  the  slaves  ;  but  it  was 
not  so.  A  terrible  time  it  was.  Slaves  on  the  burning 
plantation  were  driven  with  a  cruelty  the  "  dumb  driven 
cattle  "  did  not  receive,  and  on  the  auction  block  were 
knocked  down  for  infamous  purposes.  The  marriage  tie 
was  violated,  and  the  hearts  of  mothers  and  husbands 
wrung  with  anguish.  At  some  times  the  slaves  would 
fire  on  their  oppressors  ;  at  others  scores  of  them  would 
hide  away  in  swamps,  amidst  wet  and  starvation.  Hap- 
l)ily  there  were  Southern  men  who  acknowledged  that 
the  system  was  the  crime  as  well  as  the  scourge  of  the 
land.  But  it  was  ever  held  to  be  remarkable  that 
Stephen  Grellet  came  alive  out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 
The  writer  of  these  words  recalls  with  a  shudder  that 

0 


194 


STErilEN  GRELLET. 


once,  because  in  Leeds  lie  had  seconded  a  protest  against 
slavery  which  had  been  proposed  by  Mr.  Edward  Baines, 
the  long-faithful  and  honoured  friend  of  all  that  is  free 
and  noble,  he  received  an  extract  from  a  Southern  paper 
full  of  awful  curses.* 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  impressive  spectacle 
than  that  of  Stephen  Grellet  for  a  whole  year  pursuing 
his  lone  journeys  in  these  slaveholding  States,  sacrificing 
comforts  and  risking  life  in  the  interests  of  humanity. 
Amidst  the  hurry  of  human  affairs  the  pioneers  of  the 
greatest  ameliorations  are  apt  to  be  forgotten ;  but  let 
posterity  at  least  be  just  to  them. 

Other  heavy  solicitudes  were  to  take  possession  of  his 
mind,  and  to  claim  his  attention.  A  serious  division 
threatened  the  whole  society  of  Friends.  Their  grand 
motto  had  been  derived  from  their  founder,  George  Fox : 
"We  are  nothixg;  Christ  is  all."  A  true  evan- 
gelical sentiment  had  been  the  salt  of  their  community ; 
by  the  term  "  evangelical  "  is  intended  a  rigid  regard  to 
scriptural  truth  and  to  its  honest  interpretation.  The 
Quakers  who  at  this  time  deviated  from  the  traditional 
standards  of  the  Friends  pleaded  indeed  that  they  did 
abide  by  scriptural  testimony.  But  it  was  held  that  it 
was  one  thing  to  give  the  full  and  legitimate  force  to  the 


*  In  a  later  year  it  is  related  that  on  one  occasion  an  eloquent 
African,  a  freedman,  was  declaiming  against  Southern  slavery  in  a 
Northern  city.  But  the  iron  had  so  entered  into  his  soul,  and  the 
prospect  of  emancipation  seemed  so  far  off,  as  to  make  his  address 
brimfull  of  despair.  A  negress  was  in  the  audience.  She  rose  ; 
.  stood  silent  ;  her  tall,  magnificent  figure  arrested  all  eyes  ;  then,  as 
the  orator  poured  forth  his  hopeless  lamentations,  she  stretched  out 
her  long  arms,  and  raising  her  head  and  voice  cried  out,  "  Frederick 
Douglas,  is  God  dcadl"  It  was  as  the  voice  of  a  Hebrew  pro- 
phetess, and  brought  back  hope  to  the  heart  of  the  speaker. 
"Vengeance,"  says  our  English  proverb,  "has  leaden  feet  but 
iron  hands."  Its  approaches  are  slow,  but  it  comes  at  last  with 
crushing  weight. 


FAITHFUL  WnNFSSIXC. 


105 


words  of  Christ  and  Mis  apostles,  and  another  to  interpret 
tlrem  in  a  sense  that  could  never  have  been  dreamt  of  by- 
devout  and  intelligent  readers  who  were  untrained  in  the 
jargon  of  so  called  philosophical  schools.  The  idea  was 
held,  by  those  who  afterwards  became  the  seceding  party, 
that  the  evangelical  system  was  a  thing  of  the  past  and 
had  become  obsolete.  The  other  side  maintained  that  if 
the  evangelical  system  conserved  and  maintained  vital 
Christianity,  it  could  never  be  obsolete ;  that  human 
nature  in  all  ages  remained  the  same,  and  that  the  value 
of  a  Divine  revelation  was  in  this,  that  it  was  a  testimony 
which  exactly  corresponded  with  immutable  facts  and 
realities  in  the  Divine  modes  of  being  and  operation.  It 
was  strenuously  maintained  therefore  that  a  professed 
development  of  scriptural  truth  in  the  sense  of  a  philo- 
sophical and  non-natural  interpretation  of  it  was,  in  effect, 
a  denial  of  its  authority. 

A  Quaker  named  Elias  Hicks  made  himself  the  leader 
of  the  party  in  opposition  to  the  evangelical  confessions 
of  the  Friends.  There  came  a  deplorable  secession,  into 
the  history  of  which  we  cannot  enter.  Stephen  Grellet 
stood  firm,  while  many  wavered  around  him.  His  attach- 
ment to  Quakerism  arose  from  his  conviction  that  it  was 
identical  with  pure  and  simple  Christianity.  This  he 
avowed  in  all  the  meetings  he  attended,  and  his  firmness 
was  a  strength  to  many.  Time  has  justified  his  action, 
and  it  has  been  demonstrated  that  the  noble  and  dis- 
tinguished Friends  of  later  years  derived  their  impulse  and 
inspiration  from  the  candid,  unaccommodating  interpreta- 
tion of  those  evangelical  truths  at  that  period  assailed. 
These  witnesses  have  not  toned  down  gospel  require-, 
ments  to  an  apathetic  indifference  to  the  crimes  and  vices 
preying  upon  society,  nor  have  they  lowered  and  accom- 
modated the  spirituality  of  the  New  Testament  to  meet 
the  conventional  customs  and  i)lcasures  of  the  world  ; 


196 


STEPHEN  GREI.I.ET. 


nor,  again,  liavc  they  allowed  the  prejudices  of  a  self- 
named  rationalism  to  interpret  scriptural  truth  in  methods 
that  adapted  it  to  the  ever  shifting  demands  of  a  human 
]ihilosophy.  They  have  very  ])ainfully  learnt,  since  those 
days,  that  departure  from  the  evangelical  confessions 
meant,  in  not  a  few  cases,  an  inclined  plane  which  led 
farther  and  farther  from  the  unambiguous  requirements 
of  Divine  revelation,  until  at  length  the  place  was  taken 
in  the  ranks  of  unbelievers.  They  have  learnt  also, 
and  the  demonstration  has  been  most  valuable,  that  the 
]iurest  lives  and,  during  the  last  half  century,  the  noblest 
efforts  on  behalf  of  freedom,  of  human  rights,  of  the 
progress  of  nations,  of  the  improvement  of  society,  and 
the  salvation  of  the  race,  have  mostly  proceeded  from 
men  holding  that  evangelical  faith  on  the  side  of  which 
Mr.  Grellct  at  that  time  of  conflict  and  separation  was 
so  decided. 

Ten  years  of  his  life  were  occupied  in  these  and  other 
labours.  They  brought  to  him,  after  times  of  trouble, 
deep  balancings  of  joy.  Years  were  these,  from  182 1  to 
1831,  of  sowing,  and  in  the  history  of  America  the  most 
fruitful  sowing  the  world  has  known  since  apostolic 
times.  He  saw  the  hard  capsules  of  a  Calvinistic  inter- 
pretation dropping  off  the  truths  of  the  gospel  testimony, 
and  on  all  sides  and  among  all  churches  men  multiplying 
by  thousands,  whose  confession  of  the  Saviour's  grace  to 
men  was  like  unto  his  own.  It  was  therefore  natural 
that  his  thoughts  should  be  again  turned  to  Europe. 
There  also  mighty  changes  were  in  progress.  Youths 
who  had  grown  up  in  the  deluge  of  war  that  had  swept 
over  Europeans  kingdoms  were  now  coming  to  the  front 
as  Christian  confessors.  Their  faith  and  strength  had 
been  developed  as  they  could  not  have  been  in  a  time  of 


F.  1 1 1  'IIFi  -L   I  yi  TiVESSIX  G. 


197 


softness  and  prosperity.  In  the  British  isles  the  evan- 
gehcal  witness  was  spreading  all  along  the  lines.  In 
Conformist  and  Nonconformist  churches  preaching  was 
intensely  fervent,  zeal  was  unbounded,  and  conversions 
of  men  to  God  were  the  mark  of  the  epoch.*  In  France 
and  Switzerland,  under  a  reign  of  wider  liberty,  evan- 
gelical churches  were  being  formed,  and  pastors  like 
Vinet,  Adolphe  Monod,  and  D'Aubigne  were  increasing. 
In  Italy  the  old  voice  of  the  Waldensian  loyalty  was 
sounding  from  the  valleys  of  Piedmont.  In  German 
universities  scholars  like  Tholuck,  Hengstenberg,  and 
Neander,  whose  learning  and  purity  of  life  none  could 
dispute,  were  courageously  avowing  the  essential  truths 
of  vital  religion.  At  such  a  time  Stephen  Grellet  writes  : 
"Third  Month,  183 1.  My  religious  concern  to  cross 
once  more  the  seas  and  to  visit  Friends  in  England,  and 
other  nations  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  in  the  love 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  my  Lord  and  Saviour,  having 
ripened  to  clearness,  with  the  evidence  that  now  is  the 


*  It  is  not  easy  to  convey  to  this  generation  an  adequate  impres- 
sion of  the  transcendent  power,  at  that  period,  of  the  Evangelical 
pulpit  in  the  Established  Churches  of  England  and  Scotland,  and 
among  Nonconformists.  It  was  arousing,  teaching,  melting,  and 
stimulating  to  the  last  degree.  Such  preachers  as  Thomas  Chalmers, 
the  Hon.  Baptist  Noel,  John  Angell  James,  Robert  Newton,  and 
Henry  Melvill,  (and  these  represented  many  more,)  derived  their 
pathos  and  moving  force  over  the  understandings  and  hearts  of 
men  from  those  distinctive  evangelical  truths  which  now  in  many 
places  are  reckoned  antiquated  and  worn  out.  Nor  was  there  wanting 
an  enforcement  of  the  ethical  side  of  Christianity.  The  effect  that 
religion  should  liave  on  the  conduct  of  men  and  nations  was  power- 
fully proclaimed.  Congregations  would  break  up,  not  in  a  carping, 
finical,  and  critical  mood,  but  would  go  home  to  pray,  and  would 
go  forth  in  the  world  new  men.  Such  a  time  had  its  perils.  Preachers 
are  drawn  into  a  popular  movement  who  adopt  its  terms  for  the  sake 
of  its  prestige,  but  who  breathe  not  its  spirit.  Had  it  been  otherwise, 
we  should  not  have  witnessed  the  reaction  of  later  years.  The 
restoration  of  faith  can,  however,  come  only  from  the  same  positive 
and  unambiguous  preaching  of  the  teaching  of  Christ,  and  the  great 
themes  of  apostolic  testimony. 


198 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


time  for  me  to  make  the  requisite  preparation  for  engaging 
in  so  solemn  and  important  a  work,  I  have  set  my  small 
affairs  in  order,  and  obtained  certificates  of  the  Christian 
sympathy  and  unity  of  my  friends.  ]\Iy  beloved  wife  on 
this"  occasion,  as  on  all  preceding  ones,  freely  and  with 
Christian  cheerfulness  resigns  me  to  the  Lord's  service. 
She  is  uniformly  a  great  encourager  to  me  to  act  the  part 
of  a  faithful  servant  of  the  best  of  Masters.  We  have 
several  times  parted,  with  the  apparent  prospect  of  never 
seeing  each  other  again  in  this  state  of  mutability,  but  the 
Lord,  in  whose  hands  is  our  life,  has  brought  us  together 
again.  He  may  still  do  so  if  it  be  His  good  pleasure. 
Into  His  hands,  and  to  His  sovereign  will  and  disposal, 
we  commit  ourselves  and  our  beloved  daughter,  our  only 
child." 

"  Loixl,  speak  to  me,  that  I  may  speak 
In  living  echoes  of  Thy  tone  ; 
As  Thou  hast  sought,  so  let  me  seek 
Thy  erring  children  lost  and  lone. 

Oh  use  me,  Lord,  use  even  me, 
Just  as  Thou  wdlt,  and  when,  and  where ; 

Until  Thy  blessed  face  I  see. 

Thy  rest,  Thy  joy,  Thy  glory  share." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 

MR.  GRELLET  was  in  his  fifty-ninth  year  when 
he  went  forth  as  an  ambassador  for  Christ  to 
the  nations,  on  his  last,  and  as  it  proved,  his  most  exten- 
sive missionary  journey.  One  who  had  knowledge  to 
justify  the  language  writes  :  "  He  had  now  grown  grey  in 
the  service  of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  richness  of  his  personal 
experience  gave  peculiar  interest  to  this  labour  of  love, 
and  brightness  to  this  work  of  faith.  It  was  like  dis- 
tributing the  well  ripened  fruit  of  his  autumn  life."  He 
travelled  through  Great  Britain,  through  extensive  parts 
of  Holland,  through  some  of  the  minor  states  of  Germany, 
through  the  dominions  of  Prussia,  Saxony,  Bohemia, 
Austria  and  Hungary,  Bavaria,  Wurtemberg,  Switzerland, 
France,  Spain,  and  Piedmont.  Men  everywhere  de- 
clared that  their  intimacy  with  him  was  one  of  the 
"  brightest  episodes  of  their  lives."  At  Dresden  the  Prince 
Regent  well  described  the  catholic  nature  of  his  mission 
when  he  said  to  hira  and  William  Allen,  who  accompanied 
him  once  more  over  a  portion  of  this  journey  :  "  We 
know  how  the  love  of  God  and  good  will  to  men  prompts 
you  ;  that  you  embrace  men  of  every  description,  of 
every  religious  denomination,  rich  and  poor  ;  that  you  go 
among  the  most  wretched  in  prisons  and  in  poorhouses, 
and  come  to  some  of  us  in  our  palaces."  In  these 
palaces  of  princes  and  in  the  mansions  of  statesmen  their 

united  testimony,  as  we  learn  from  their  Journal,  was 

195 


200 


STEPIIEM  GRELLET. 


that  "  sin,  disobedience  to  the  holy  will  of  God,  was  the 
cause  of  all  private  and  public  misery";  and  in  the  abodes 
of  the  poor  that  "  Christ  Jesus  had  come  to  put  away 
and  to  deliver  men  from  sin,  and  that  to  them  that  re- 
ceived Him  He  gave  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God." 
This  twofold  declaration  gave  not  a  transient  but  per- 
manent influence  to  the  labours  of  the  two  evangelists. 
Nothing  indeed  is  more  remarkable  and  noteworthy  than 
this  feature  of  Stephen  Grellet's  ministry.  Like  the  true 
high  priest  of  Israel  he  felt  gently  towards  the  ignorant 
and  erring,  and  at  the  same  time  never  justified  the 
wicked.  He  saw  that  sin,  which  a  lukewarm  minister  is 
apt  to  regard  with  apathy,  is  in  God's  view  the  cause  of 
unutterable  suffering  in  its  effects  from  man  to  man, 
and  of  inconceivable  woe  in  sundering  human  relations 
to  Jehovah.  The  emphatic  words  of  Scripture  in  refer-  • 
ence  to  the  Christian  teacher  are,  that  he  "  turns  many 
away  from  iniquity,"  and  "  turns  many  unto  righteous- 
ness "  (Mai.  ii.  6,  and  Dan.  xii.  3).  On  the  other  hand, 
in  Stephen  Grellet  there  was  no  severity.  The  lowliness 
with  which  he  himself  lay  before  God  made  him  like  unto 
the  true  priest  in  another  requirement.  A  descendant  of 
Aaron  could  not  on  the  day  of  atonement  have  observed 
the  law  which  required  that  he  should  stand  and  gaze  on 
the  red  blood  of  a  bullock  of  sin  offering,  and  the  burnt 
offering  of  a  ram,  both  for  himself  and  his  own  trans- 
gressions, without  dealing  tenderly  afterwards  as  he 
confessed  and  sacrificed  for  the  sins  of  the  people  ;  and 
Stephen  Grellet  teaches  how  we,  who  under  the  Christian 
dispensation  are  spared  this  anguish,  should  nevertheless 
go  as  sinners  ourselves,  redeemed  by  the  Great  Sacrifice, 
to  plead  with  men  for  their  salvation.* 


*  In  addition  to  tlie  offering  of  his  own  sin  offering,  washings,  and 
purifications  for  himself,  it  was  required  that  seven  days  before  the 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


20t 


It  being  perfectly  impossible  in  the  limits  of  this 
manual  to  present  the  details  of  this  extensive  and 
laborious  European  journey,  nothing  more  will  be  at- 
tempted than  to  offer  fragmentary  glimpses  of  its  nature 
in  extracts  from  the  Journal.  The  order  that  will  be 
followed  will  be  that  of  the  kingdoms  visited,  but  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  extracts  relate  to  labours  for 
many  weeks  and  even  months  in  the  respective  nations 
visited. 

England.  "  I  had  many  meetings  in  the  dales  of  the 
midland  and  northern  counties,  and  among  the  colliers 
and  miners.  I  feel  deeply  for  that  class  of  men  ;  many  are 
their  privations  and  sufferings,  as  also  are  those  of  the  poor 
weavers  in  the  manufacturing  districts.  My  travelling 
among  the  colliers  was  attended  with  danger  in  many 
places  ;  for  the  men  had  '  turned  out,'  as  they  call  it,  re- 
fusing to  work  unless  their  wages  were  advanced ;  and 
they  were  under  excitement,  increased  by  the  want  of 
the  necessaries  of  life  to  support  their  families  ;  some  of 
them  were  driven  to  acts  of  desperation,  so  as  even  to 
attack  travellers  on  the  road.  We  however  passed  on 
unmolested,  and  had  some  large  meetings  in  those 
very  districts,  where  the  people  behaved  well.  I  en- 
deavoured to  impress  upon  them  the  fear  of  God  and  the 
love  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  duty  of  living  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  peaceable  spirit  of  the  gospel  of  Christ." 

"  We  had  several  public  meetings,  and  others  among 
Friends  generally,  through  Devonshire  and  Cornwall  as 


day  of  atonement  the  high  priest  should  leave  his  house  and  family, 
and  take  up  his  abode  in  the  Temple.  Surely  this  retirement  was 
not  only  for  his  own  freedom  from  defilement,  but  freedom  also 
from  that  spirit  of  routine,  formality,  and  unfeelingness,  to  which, 
above  all  men,  ecclesiastics  are  liable.  The  seclusion  would  go  to 
assist  that  "  compassionateness  "  which  was  the  high  priest's  main 
qualification.    (See  Heb.  v.  2.) 


202 


STEPHEN'  GRELLET. 


far  as  Falmouth.  Some  of  these  meetings,  held  among 
the  lead  mines,  were  very  interesting.  Vital  religion  has 
progressed  among  many  of  these  people  since  my  first 
visit  to  them.  The  education  of  the  children  has,  by  the 
Lord's  blessing,  contributed  to  the  moral  reform  of  the 
parents.  Great  brokenness  of  spirit  has  sometimes  ap- 
peared to  extend  over  the  large  company  collected.  May 
the  Lord  bless  His  work  among  that  people  and  every- 
where. The  dear  Redeemer  saith,  '  My  Father  worketh 
hitherto,  and  I  work,'  and  it  is  a  marvellous  work." 

Rotterdam.  i6th.  "  Early  this  morning  we  made  a 
satisfactory  visit  to  the  Baron  Makey,  Director  of  the 
Post-office  ;  he  is  a  spiritually  minded  man  ;  he  believes 
that  the  Spirit  is  one  of  the  blessed  gifts  of  the  Redeemer  ; 
therefore  the  more  highly  he  values  the  Gift,  the  more  also 
he  loves  and  reverences  the  gracious  Dispenser  of  it.  We 
were  afterwards  with  the  Baron  La  Deboar,  who  is  a  useful 
and  benevolent  man.  The  two  clergymen  we  were  with 
yesterday,  having  heard  that  we  were  there,  came  to  meet 
us  again,  bringing  with  them  the  clergyman  of  the  Dutch 
Kirk  :  they  seem  to  wish  to  be  in  our  company,  not  for 
disputation  nor  to  enter  into  controversy,  but  to  inquire 
into  some  of  our  Christian  principles  :  we  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  setting  before  them  our  views  of  the  nature  of 
pure  Christianity,  and  the  qualifications  for  a  minister  of 
Christ.  We  forwarded  to  the  quarantine  on  the  little 
island  a  parcel  of  Bibles  and  Testaments,  in  several 
languages,  for  the  use  of  those  who  may  yet  come  there. 
We  also  visited  and  had  religious  opportunities  in  their 
prison  and  schools ;  in  one  of  these  for  the  poor  there  are 
about  one  thousand  children. 

"We  came  to  Amsterdam  on  the  i8th,  and  visited  the 
Infant  School,  supported  out  of  the  interest  of  the  residue 
of  the  money  proceeding  from  the  share  of  John  Warder 
in  the  prizes  made  during  the  war  by  a  vessel  in  Avhich 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


203 


he  was  concerned.*  They  have  now  upwards  of  sixty 
children  in  that  school.  The  building  purchased  for  the 
purpose  is  a  convenient  one,  and  the  matron,  under 
whose  especial  care  it  is  placed,  appears  to  act  the  part 
of  a  mother  and  of  a  Christian  towards  those  young 
children.  Our  testimony  against  war  is  exalted  through 
this  act  of  justice  and  benevolence.  IMany  persons  come 
to  visit  the  establishment." 

"  We  went  to  Eidinghausen,  a  village  where  several 
persons  that  profess  with  us  reside ;  we  visited  them  in 
their  families,  and  had  a  meeting  with  them.  The 
people  there  live,  some  might  say,  in  ancient  simplicity ; 
under  the  same  roof  are  the  dwelling  house,  the  barn, 


*  Before  liis  removal  from  England,  the  late  John  Warder,  of 
Philadelphia,  had  a  share  in  the  ship  N^aiicy,  ■which,  without  his 
l<nowIedge  or  approval,  was  armed  by  his  partner,  wlio  was  not  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  During  the  American  war, 
Holland  being  one  of  the  allies  of  the  United  States,  the  Nancy 
aided  in  the  capture  of  a  Dutch  East  Indiaman,  on  her  homeward 
voyage  to  Amsterdam.  From  the  nature  of  the  cargo  the  prize 
turned  out  to  be  a  rich  one,  and  John  Warder's  share  of  the  pro- 
ceeds amounted  to  a  considerable  sum.  To  apply  to  his  own  use 
money  so  obtained  was  felt  to  be  inconsistent  with  a  faithful  support 
of  the  Christian  testimony  against  all  wars  and  fightings,  and  resti- 
tution of  the  property  an  obvious  duty.  But  in  the  midst  of  inter- 
national hostilities  it  was  no  easy  matter  at  once  clearly  to  ascertain 
the  parties  justly  entitled  to  it.  Under  these  circumstances  John 
Warder  ultimately  placed  the  amount  he  had  received  upon  tnist 
for  effecting  the  restitution  when  practicable.  Both  before  and  after 
the  termination  of  the  war,  efforts  were  made  to  find  out  the  real 
owners  of  the  property,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  it  was  restored  to 
them  ;  but  some  could  never  be  traced.  Being  originally  derived 
from  Holland,  it  was  finally  thought  most  in  accordance  with  strict 
justice  to  appropriate  the  unclaimed  residue  to  Dutch  purposes. 
The  result  was  the  establishment  and  support  of  the  infant  school 
alluded  to  at  Amsterdam.  The  citizens,  appreciating  its  value  and 
the  character  of  its  origin,  have  called  it  "  Holland's  Welfare," 
the  name  borne  by  the  captured  vessel,  and  by  that  name  it  is 
still  recognised  in  their  list  of  public  schools.  A  large  number  of 
children  have  been  taught  in  the  Institution.  It  was  the  first 
of  the  kind  in  Holland,  and  now  similar  ones  are  very  general  in 
that  kingdom. 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


tlic  cow  house,  the  stable  for  horses,  and  their  pigs,  also 
the  places  for  other  live  stock,  fowls,  etc.  The  part 
occupied  for  the  dwelling  is  at  the  farther  end  of  this 
large  building,  which  has  no  chimney,  so  that  the  smoke 
makes  its  escape  as  it  can  from  the  sides  or  the  roof, 
which  is  thatched  with  straw.  We  had  a  meeting  in  one 
of  these  places ;  it  was  largely  attended  by  the  villagers. 
It  was  a  novel  sight  to  us;  we  had  on  each  side  of  us 
horses,  cows,  calves,  sheep,  etc. ;  but  it  seemed  as  if  a 
total  silence  was  spread  over  all  these,  as  well  as  over  the 
large  company  collected.  I  believe  that  during  the 
whole  time  of  the  meeting,  none  of  the  lowing  of  the 
cattle,  the  bleating  of  the  sheep,  nor  other  noise  was 
heard,  though  before  and  after  the  meeting  they  were 
pretty  loud.  Some  of  the  dear  people  appear  to  have 
been  much  sheltered  from  the  corruption  prevailing  in 
the  world,  and  also  to  have  minds  acquainted  with  the 
power  of  redeeming  love.  We  were  sweetly  refreshed 
among  them.  Here  reside  persons  who,  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  our  Christian  testimony  against  war  and  blood- 
shedding,'^have  suffered  grievously." 

"  Came  to  Brunswick.  Here  I  found,  in  the  landlord 
of  the  hotel  at  which  we  put  up,  a  Frenchman,  who  came 
from  the  vicinity  of  Limoges,  the  place  of  my  nativit}-, 
and  who,  like  myself  and  others  of  the  nobility,  emigrated 
to  Germany  in  the  year  1791.  We  were  together  in  the 
same  army ;  he  continued  in  it  after  I  left.  The  division 
of  the  army  he  was  in  was  first  sixteen  thousand  men 
strong,  but  it  was  so  recruited  from  time  to  time  that 
he  says  they  lost  about  fifty  thousand  men  in  that  bloody 
war,  and  there  was  but  a  handful  of  them  left  at  last. 
He  was  delighted  to  see  me.  He  has  a  large  family,  and 
has  made  a  handsome  estate.  I  endeavoured  to  urge 
upon  him  the  gratitude  with  which  his  mind  should  be 
clothed  before  the  Lord,  who,  in  such  mercy  and  com- 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPF. 


205 


passion,  has  preserved  his  Hfe  to  this  day,  even  wlicn  lie 
beheld  thousands  fall  around  Iiim,  and  had  also  to  con- 
template the  great  religious  insensibility  that  was  mani- 
fested by  many  of  his  companions.  This  was  such  that, 
whilst  their  advanced  posts  were  so  near  those  of  the 
French  revolutionists  that,  though  they  could  not  see 
one  another  because  of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  they 
could  distinguish  the  sound  of  voices  and  therefore  spoke 
to  one  another  only  in  a  whisper,  yet  even  then  they 
were  so  intent  on  card-playing  that  they  did  it  by  the  aid 
of  glow-worms.  They  held  these  in  one  hand  and  the 
cards  in  the  other,  now  and  then  laying  them  aside  to 
fire  upon  the  enemy  in  the  direction  of  the  voices,  whilst 
they  were  fired  at  in  return ;  though  now  and  then  some 
were  killed,  yet  others  would  readily  take  their  places, 
and  continue  the  game !  O  the  cruelty,  the  depravity, 
and  the  wickedness  that  war  brings  with  it  !  it  baffles  all 
attempt  at  description." 

Prussia.  "  By  appointment  we  visited  this  morning  the 
Prince  Wittgenstein  ;  he  is  the  King's  prime  minister ; 
he  received  us  with  kindness  and  openness.  We  im- 
parted to  him  several  subjects  that  have  rested  with 
weight  on  our  minds  since  our  coming  to  Prussia,  which 
we  wished  to  be  brought  before  the  King  for  his  con- 
sideration ;  and  which  the  Prince  has  a  full  opportunity 
of  doing,  as  he  is  daily  with  the  King.  We  met  there 
General  Boye,  who  was  with  us  yesterday  at  the  Major- 
General  Rudloff's.  From  conscientious  motives  he  has 
retired  from  a  military  life  ;  he  accompanied  us  in  a 
visit  to  the  prisons  and  to  the  hospitals  for  the  prisoners. 
In  one  of  the  prisons  we  met  with  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Jews,  who  composed  a  band  of  robbers,  linked 
together,  but  scattered  over  various  parts  of  this  kingdom. 
The  prisoners  are  numerous ;  this  is  owing  to  the  very 
slow  process  with  which  the  laws  are  administered,  which 


STErilF.N'  GRELLET. 


is  n,  great  injury.  There  are  not  any  public  executions ; 
we  are  told  that  no  life  has  been  taken  in  this  way  since 
1819,  and  they  have  no  place  abroad  to  which  they  can 
transport  their  convicts. 

"  At  the  suggestion  of  the  Prince  Wittgenstein,  we  went 
to  see  Kohler,  minister  of  the  interior.  The  Prince 
said  that  he  might  be  of  service  to  us  in  promoting  our 
views  for  the  better  treatment  and  accommodation  of 
the  prisoners,  whom  we  had  found  croAvded  in  small 
apartments,  badly  ventilated,  so  that  the  air  is  rendered 
very  foul.  We  also  thought  that  their  ration  of  bread  is 
too  small,  and  the  quality  of  it  bad,  so  that  their  counte- 
nances bespoke  their  suffering  condition.  We  hope  now 
that  relief  in  these  respects  will  be  extended  to  them, 
and  that  by  a  more  speedy  administration  of  justice 
the  number  of  those  so  confined  will  be  considerably 
lessened. 

"Baron  von  Schilder,  grand  master  of  the  court, 
accompanied  us  to  the  old  palace,  where  the  Crown 
Prince  and  the  Princess  Royal,  his  wife,  reside.  We 
were  immediately  introduced  into  her  private  apartments, 
where  she  received  us,  accompanied  by  one  of  her 
attendant  ladies  only.  She  is  sister  of  the  present  King 
of  Bavaria,  and  remembers  me  when,  some  years  since, 
I  visited  him  and  her  father,  who  was  then  living.  She 
made  some  apology  for  desiring  to  see  us,  but  wished  to 
obtain  correct  information  of  our  views  respecting  Divine 
worship ;  also  respecting  prayer,  the  ministry,  women's 
preaching,  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  on  the  heart 
of  man,  etc.  Soon  after  she  began  to  make  inquiries 
into  these  interesting  subjects,  the  Crown  Prince,  her 
husband,  came  in  ;  he  said  he  had  succeeded  in  putting 
off  his  journey  into  Pomerania  for  a  few  hours,  and 
availed  himself  of  them  to  be  with  us.  As  he  speaks 
good  English,  dear  William  Allen  had  a  full  opportunity 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE.  207 

with  him ;  and  I  proceeded  in  French  to  answer  the 
in(iuirics  of  the  Princess,  which  appeared  to  proceed  from 
a  mind  under  reHgious  exercise,  and  seeking  after  the 
Truth.  This  desire  after  the  knowledge  of  the  Truth 
began  when  I  was  at  Munich  with  the  King  her  father, 
and  the  Crown  Prince  her  brother.  She  had  also  heard 
of  the  religious  meetings  I  then  had,  which  were  attended 
by  many  of  the  people  at  court.  Here  again,  by  the 
Countess  Von  der  Groben  and  others  she  hears  much  of 
the  doctrines  held  forth  by  Gossner,  and  of  the  seasons 
of  silent  retirement  that  they  have  with  him.  I  drew  her 
attention  to  the  teachings  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  who  is 
ever  near  the  believer  in  Christ,  to  direct  and  instruct 
him,  to  help  us  under  all  our  infirmities,  and  to  comfort 
us  under  all  our  trials.  Her  spirit  was  very  tender.  The 
conversation  then  became  more  general  with  the  Prince, 
particularly  on  the  subject  of  liberty  of  conscience.  He 
promised  us  to  use  his  influence  to  promote  this,  and  he 
hoped  that  the  cruelties  exercised  by  military  laws  against 
our  Friends,  or  others,  would  never  be  enforced  again. 
After  a  time  of  solemn  silence,  feeling  my  mind  con- 
strained by  the  power  of  gospel  love,  I  imparted  to  them 
my  soul's  concern  for  them,  that  they  may  so  live  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  maintain  the  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  after  witnessing  the  blessing  of  preservation 
from  the  many  snares  and  temptations  attending  their 
high  stations  in  life,  they  may,  through  the  redeeming 
love  and  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  become  heirs  of 
His  everlasting  salvation. 

"  On  parting  the  Prince  said  that  he  regretted  he  could 
not  be  longer  with  us ;  that  the  King,  his  father,  regretted 
also  that  his  bodily  indisposition  prevented  him  from 
seeing  us,  remembering  the  visit  that  we  both  had  made 
him  when  he  was  in  London,  and  that  he  would  not  fail 
to  impart  to  him  what  we  had  said,  especially  on  the 


20S 


STEPHEN  GREI.IET. 


subject  of  liberty  of  conscience  and  tlie  seventy  of  the 
military  laws,  which,  though  not  enforced  at  present,  yet 
are  not  repealed.  We  told  the  Prince  and  his  Princess, 
that  they  must  expect  themselves  to  have  tribulations,  if 
they  were  sincere  in  their  desires  to  live  a  godly  life  in 
Christ  Jesus ;  for  if  a  man  will  please  the  world  he  is 
at  enmity  with  God ;  further,  we  told  them  that,  if  they 
were  true  in  their  desires  to  be  found  followers  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they  must  not  stumble  at  the  cross, 
but  follow  Him  in  the  path  of  self  denial.  We  parted 
from  them  in  Christian  affection." 

Halle.  "This  evening  the  Lord  sent  us  comfort,  blessed 
be  His  name  !  by  a  visit  from  F.  Tholuck,  who  is  one  of 
the  professors  at  the  university  here,  but  a  man  of  a 
totally  different  spirit  from  the  generality  of  them ;  he  is 
a  full  believer  in  the  dear  Redeemer,  in  all  His  offices, 
according  to  all  the  great  truths  revealed  to  us  by  Divine 
inspiration,  and  contained  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  In 
opposition  to  his  fellow  professors,  he  teaches  these  faith- 
fully, in  his  chair  as  a  professor,  and  from  the  pulpit  also 
as  a  minister  of  Christ,  and  he  adorns  his  doctrine  by  a 
consistent  life.  He  is  well  versed  in  and  teaches  the 
oriental  and  many  ancient  languages;  but,  so  far  from 
assuming  anything  because  of  his  attainments,  meekness 
and  humility  are  his  covering.  He  has  an  arduous  path 
to  tread,  but  the  Lord  supports  him  amidst  his  numerous 
difficulties ;  his  enemies,  like  those  of  Daniel  formerly, 
can  find  no  occasion  against  him,  save  concerning  the 
law  of  his  God.  He  has  from  two  to  three  hundred 
young  men,  steady  attenders  at  his  lectures  at  the  univer- 
sity. He  has  the  consolation  to  hope  that  every  year 
from  thirty  to  forty  of  these  young  men  go  from  the 
university  to  various  parts  of  Germany,  thoroughly  estab- 
lished in  sound  Christian  truths,  giving  evidence  also 
that  they  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 


FOfRril  VISIT  TO  Ei'ROTK.  209 

Prague.  "  ^Ve  found  about  six  hundred  prisoners  in  the 
l)rison.  They  carry  on  there  a  variety  of  trades.  Even 
this  year,  during  which  the  labours  of  the  prisoners  have 
been  much  interrupted,  they  think  that  their  receipts  will 
exceed  the  expenses  by  fifteen  thousand  guilders.  These 
prisoners  generally  wear  heavy  irons,  and  are  kept  under 
severe  discipline.  We  saw  in  one  prison  one  hundred 
and  fifty  women  under  heavy  irons  also.  It  is  the  first 
time  that  I  have  had  such  a  painful  sight." 

Austria.  "  We  had  engaged  to  take  tea  this  evening  at 
the  Baron  D'Escheles',  whose  residence  is  four  miles  out 
of  the  city,  and  very  near  to  the  palace  of  the  Emperor. 
We  expected  to  be  with  the  baron's  family  only.  Great 
therefore  was  our  surprise  when  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  midst  of  a  numerous  company,  mostly  of  the  nobility, 
Avho,  it  appears,  had  been  invited  on  our  account,  but 
entirely  unknown  to  us.  It  was  an  opportunity  that  we 
could  not  have  obtained  by  efforts  of  our  own,  for  the 
police  are  so  strict  that  we  could  not  appoint  any  public 
meetings.  We  are  well  aware,  also,  that  we  are  most 
strictly  watched,  for  even  the  valet-de-place,  who  is  the 
servant  that  attends  upon  us  at  the  inn,  or  who  goes  out 
with  us  to  show  us  the  way  to  the  places  we  visit,  is  an 
emissary  of  the  police ;  they  contrive  to  place  such  over 
every  stranger,  that  all  their  movements  may  be  closely 
watched.  The  whole  of  the  company  spoke  French ; 
our  communication  with  one  another  was  therefore  with- 
out an  interpreter,  on  my  part  at  least ;  we  were  for 
awhile  engaged  in  answering  the  inquiries  made  by  some 
who  collected  about  us  for  the  purpose,  but  after  a  time 
way  was  made  for  our  having  a  full  opportunity  to  pro- 
claim before  them  all  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  the 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  the  Head  of  the 
church  and  the  only  Saviour ;  avc  told  them  that  He 
alone  can  save  from  sin,  and  if  those  who  wish  to  try  to 

p 


2IO 


STErilEN  GRELLET. 


enter  His  kingdom  by  any  other  way  than  by  Him  who 
is  the  Door  are  accounted  in  the  Scriptures  but  thieves 
and  robbers,  how  much  more  are  to  be  accounted  as 
such  those  who  assume  the  power  to  open  or  close  that 
door,  at  their  pleasure,  to  others  !  We  directed  them  to 
Christ,  who  is  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  without 
whom  none  can  come  to  the  Father;  finally  we  com- 
mended them  to  God  and  to  the  word  of  His  grace, 
which  is  able  to  build  us  up  and  to  give  us  an  inheritance 
among  all  them  which  are  sanctified.  Great  seriousness 
prevailed  over  the  whole  assembly;  the  doctrine  was 
new  to  many  of  them,  but  the  faithful  witness  in  their 
own  hearts  brought  home  the  conviction  that  it  was  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus ;  therefore  no  objection  was  raised 
by  any  one.  Our  spirits  have  magnified  the  Lord  for 
His  great  goodness  in  thus  making  a  way  for  us  to  pro- 
claim His  great  name  as  the  only  Saviour,  in  a  place 
where  we  seemed  to  be  hedged  in  on  every  side. 

"  The  next  morning  the  Prince  Esterhazy  sent  his  tra- 
velling carriage  to  us,  as  agreed  upon ;  it  is  a  light  but 
very  plain  vehicle ;  we  had  post-horses  put  to  it,  but  we 
were  much  surprised  when  at  every  station  on  the  road 
where  the  horses  are  changed  the  postmaster  refused  to 
receive  any  money ;  to  this  effect  orders  had  been  sent 
from  the  Prince,  to  whom  or  to  his  father  that  tract  of 
country  as  well  as  the  post-horses  belong.  But  we  were 
much  more  surprised  when,  arriving  at  Eisenstadt,  where 
we  expected  to  find  a  village  only,  and  where  the  Prince 
had  told  us  we  should  find  some  kind  of  shelter  and 
plain  simple  food,  we  were  driven  to  the  Prince's  chateau, 
a  spacious  palace,  and  his  steward,  to  whom  information 
had  been  sent  of  our  coming,  was  waiting  for  us  and 
had  dinner  prepared.  At  first  we  thought  that  surely 
there  must  be  some  mistake ;  but  the  steward,  to  remove 
every  such  apprehension,  showed  us  the  directions  he 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


211 


had  from  the  Prince  to  have  us  accommodated  in  the 
palace,  and  also  to  facilitate  our  going  to  the  different 
villages  or  places  that  we  might  wish  to  visit,  and  to 
supply  us  with  horses  for  the  purpose  out  of  his  stables." 

Munich.  "  We  were  comforted  with  the  young  Baron 
Freyberg  and  his  tender  spirited  wife.  They  appear 
sincere  in  their  desire  to  serve  the  Lord.  One  of  the 
King's  ministers  has  been  twice  with  us.  He  is  one  of 
those  that  I  mingled  with  during  my  former  visits  here, 
and  who  continue  to  evince  a  love  for  the  truth.  The 
Prince  Oettingen  Wallenstein  came  this  evening  to  our 
inn,  where  it  was  thought  we  might  be  more  privately 
with  each  other  than  at  his  palace.  We  spent  about 
three  hours  together.  His  Christian  protection  of  those 
Roman  Catholics  who  have  seen  the  errors  of  popery 
shelters  them  greatly  from  the  persecutions  they  would 
otherwise  be  subjected  to.  Several  of  their  priests  and 
nuns  continue  to  make  public  confession  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  their  only  hope  of  salvation,  and  that 
they  consider  and  acknowledge  Him  as  the  only  Head  of 
the  church ;  there  are  also  many  of  the  people  who 
turn  away  from  popery.  The  Prince,  understanding  that 
we  proposed  to  visit  some  of  the  villages  on  the  Donau- 
Moos  marshes,  where  many  persons  have  been  convinced 
of  their  former  errors,  has  not  only  encouraged  us  to  go 
there,  but  has  also  sent  for  the  Baron  Baader,  who  speaks 
good  English,  to  accompany  us  there  and  act  as  our 
interpreter.  Previous  to  our  separation,  we  had  with  the 
dear  Prince  a  contriting  religious  season.  He  was  greatly 
broken  in  his  spirit.  He  hardly  knew  how  to  part  from 
us.  He  took  us  several  times  in  his  arms,  with  tears  in 
his  eyes.  May  the  Lord  strengthen  him  by  His  grace, 
and  preserve  him  faithful  to  His  Divine  will  unto  the 
end  !  My  spirit  is  reverently  bowed  with  gratitude  before 
God,  in  being  now  permitted  to  mingle  again  with  a  few 


212 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 


among  the  poor,  and  those  who  have  their  dweUings  in 
palaces,  whom  He  has  rescued  from  the  corruptions  that 
are  in  the  world,  and  whom  He  enables  to  approach  His 
sacred  presence  with  broken  hearts  and  contrite  spirits." 

Strasburg.  "  I  left  on  the  14th  for  the  Ban  de  la  Roche, 
the  former  residence  of  Oberlin,  that  humble  but  great 
man,  and  dignified  useful  servant  of  the  Lord,  whose 
works  continue  to  proclaim  his  love  to  God  and  man. 
I  came  thirty-four  miles  to  Foudai,  where  resides  Le 
Grand,  the  particular  friend  of  the  late  Oberlin ;  he  is 
solicitous  that  the  useful  institutions  formed  by  him 
should  be  conducted  on  the  plan  he  designed.  Le  Grand 
has  two  sons,  who  with  their  wives  and  families  reside  on 
the  same  premises  with  him ;  they  carry  on  an  extensive 
manufactory  of  a  variety  of  tapes ;  it  was  one  of  the 
plans  of  Oberlin  to  procure  employment  and  the  means 
of  an  honest  livelihood  to  the  numerous  inhabitants  of  a 
poor  and  stony  land.  Immediately  after  my  arrival  Le 
Grand  very  kindly  sent  messengers  to  the  several  villages 
on  these  mountains,  with  the  information  of  my  intention 
to  have  a  religious  meeting  with  them  that  afternoon,  to 
be  held  in  the  central  village  where  Oberlin  used  to 
reside ;  his  house  there  is  at  present  occupied  by  his 
son-in-law,  who  has  succeeded  him  as  pastor.  Accom- 
panied by  Le  Grand  I  went  there,  and  was  much  pleased 
on  meeting  with  faithful  Louisa,  who  was  the  right  hand 
of  Oberlin  in  promoting  the  religious,  moral,  and  literary 
education  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  mountains.  She 
is  now  aged,  but  still  active ;  every  week  she  takes  her 
walks  round  the  villages,  visits  the  schools,  the  sick  and 
the  afflicted,  imparts  religious  instruction  to  the  young 
l^eople,  and  performs  her  labours  of  love  as  needed,  and 
as  her  way  for  it  is  open.  She  has  trained  several  mis- 
tresses who  are  engaged  in  the  schools ;  she  introduced 
me  to  some  of  these,  whom  she  calls  her  fourth  genera- 


rOURTIl  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


213 


tion.  Obcrliu's  daughter  is  a  pious  woman.  Before  the 
hour  at  whicli  the  meeting  was  appointed  the  people 
were  seen  running  down  the  rocky  mountains,  and  col- 
lecting in  great  numbers  ;  it  reminded  me  of  what  I  saw 
several  times  when  on  the  island  of  Hayti;  they  came 
from  four  to  eight  miles,  though  the  notice  was  so  short. 
The  meeting  was  held  in  their  place  of  worship ;  the 
word  of  instruction,  comfort,  and  encouragement  was 
given  me  to  preach  among  them." 

Geneva.  "  Yesterday  and  to-day  I  was  engaged  in 
visiting  the  prisons  and  some  valuable  and  useful  insti- 
tutions. One  is  for  old  men  ;  great  care  is  bestowed  on 
their  bodily  comforts ;  each  has  his  separate,  clean 
chamber  ;  everything  that  might  tend  to  disturb  the  mind 
of  an  old  man  is  carefully  avoided,  and  in  the  most  tender 
and  gentle  way  opportunities  are  watched  for  to  bring 
their  minds  to  Christ,  and  to  stir  them  up  to  make  use  of 
their  few  remaining  days  in  preparing  for  another  life.  I 
had  some  interesting  and  satisfactory  religious  service  in 
several  of  these  places. 

"  I  dined  at  Mary  Ann  Vernet's,  where  various  branches 
of  their  families  were  present,  also  her  widowed  daughter, 
the  Baroness  de  Stael.  We  had  a  contriting  time  to- 
gether. They  keenly  felt  the  loss  of  a  valuable  pious 
relative,  a  son  of  Mary  Ann's ;  but  they  bear  it  as  Christ- 
ians. In  his  attempt  to  save  the  life  of  another  person 
from  a  building  that  was  on  fire,  he  himself  fell  a  prey  to 
the  devouring  element.  The  dear  youth  had  for  many 
years  past  devoted  himself,  as  a  nazarite,  to  serve  the 
Lord,  and  he  died  while  evincing  his  love  to  man.  I 
was  a  good  deal  with  him  in  my  previous  visit  here,  and 
I  loved  him  in  the  truth." 

Pignerol,  Piedmont.  "I  had  a  solitary  but  very  pleasant 
ride,  for  my  blessed  Master  was  with  me ;  my  soul  was 
contrited  under  a  grateful  sense  that  He  has,  in  a  mar- 


214 


STEniEN  GRELLET. 


vellous  maimer  and  in  great  condescending  mercy,  kept 
to  this  day  His  covenant  with  me,  though  on  my  part, 
with  shame  and  confusion,  I  beheld  how  frequently  I 
have  broken  my  own  covenant  with  my  Lord  God  and 
Redeemer.  He  has  enabled  me  to  renew  it  this  day, 
and  to  anoint  the  altar  with  many  tears ;  may  it  prove  to 
be  an  everlasting  covenant,  never  to  be  broken !  My 
soul  also  was  poured  forth  before  God  in  supplication  for 
all  whom  I  have  visited  and  laboured  with  in  the  work 
and  love  of  the  gospel,  in  various  parts  of  America  and 
in  these  European  nations.  The  remembrance  also  of 
the  thousands  that  have  been  slain  on  these  mountains 
and  in  these  valleys  for  their  love  to  Jesus,  and  their 
faithfulness  to  His  testimony,  has  been  feelingly  and 
solemnly  before  me.  I  beheld  how  many  of  these  have 
joined  that  innumerable  company  who  have  come  out  of 
many  tribulations,  and  stand  now  clothed  in  white  before 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  ha\-ing  harps  in  their 
hands. 

"  I  met  here  Colonel  Beckwith  ;  he  lost  one  of  his  legs 
at  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  and  now  endeavours  to  devote 
his  time  to  acts  of  benevolence  ;  this  is  the  third  winter 
he  has  spent  among  the  \Valdenses  ;  he  has  been  useful 
in  promoting,  and  in  assisting  them  in,  the  building  of 
schoolhouses,  and  in  having  schools  for  the  girls  sepa- 
rate from  the  boys.  He  also  endeavours  to  introduce 
among  them  the  manufacture  of  a  variety  of  articles,  the 
materials  of  which  are  of  small  value. 

"  I  went  to  most  of  their  villages,  and  visited  their 
schools ;  at  Bobi  I  was  pleased  with  one  for  girls ;  it  is 
conducted  by  a  pious  widow,  who  endeavours  to  train  up 
the  young  plants  under  her  charge  in  the  fear  of  God. 
I  found  religious  tenderness  among  the  parents  and  the 
children  in  several  places ;  most  of  their  pastors  also 
appear  to  be  conscientiously  concerned  for  the  spiritual 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


215 


welfare  of  their  flocks.  These  visits  were  fatiguing,  for 
I  had  to  perform  the  journeys  mostly  on  foot ;  the  snow 
was  deep  ;  and  the  rough  paths  on  the  high  ground 
being  covered  with  ice  rendered  walking  laborious. 
This  was  particularly  the  case  in  going  up  the  mountain 
to  Angrone.  It  is  in  that  valley,  and  on  that  mountain, 
that  many  battles  were  fought  during  the  wars  of  exter- 
mination waged  against  the  Waldenses  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  Papists,  whose  armies  were  accompanied  by 
the  inquisitors.  Many  of  these  poor  unoffending  people, 
who  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  were  burned  by  the 
Inquisition." 

France  :  Brives.  "  I  find  my  beloved  mother  in  a  very 
tender  state  of  mind,  green  in  old  age.  Her  heart  seems 
to  be  full  of  love  to  the  dear  Saviour.  She  appears 
weaned  from  a  dependence  on  the  priests  or  outward 
observances.  Her  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord 
alone.  It  is  rare  to  meet  with  any  one  at  her  advanced 
age  who  retains  such  bright  mental  faculties."  * 

Paris.    "  We  breakfasted  this  morning,  by  invitation,  at 


*  Three  years  after  this,  Stephen  Grellct  received  the  afiectinjj 
intelligence  of  the  decease  of  his  "beloved  and  honoured  mother," 
an  event  which  was  communicated  to  him  in  a  letter  from  his 
brother  Joseph,  who,  with  many  of  her  descendants,  was  present  on 
the  peacefully  solemn  occasion.  She  was  in  her  ninety-fourth  year, 
and  it  was  a  great  comfort  to  Stephen  Grellet  to  think  of  her  as 
"full  of  love  to  the  dear  Saviour,  weaned  from  a  dependence  upon 
priests  or  outward  observances,  with  her  heart  fixed, — trusting  in 
the  Lord  alone."  From  one  of  her  letters  to  her  son  Stephen  and 
his  family  in  the  United  States  the  following  is  extracted  : — 
"  What  delight  thy  letter  gave  thy  mother,  my  tenderly  beloved 
son  !  After  many  dangers  thou  art  at  last  restored  to  thy  fireside, 
to  thy  dear  wife  and  child.  What  thanks  should  we  render  to  the 
Lord  !  I  had  received  thy  letter  from  England.  Thou  left  me  in 
great  anxiety,  but  not  on  my  own  account, — that  troubles  me  the 
least.  But  other  trials  awaited  me,  and  I  have  needed  to  recall 
to  my  mind  very  often  thy  tender  advice,  to  bow  in  entire  sub- 
mission to  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and,  as  thou  hast  told  me,  to  be  fully 
persuaded  that  our  crosses  and  our  afflictions  are  given  us  by  the 


2l6 


STErilEN  GRELLET. 


the  Duke  de  Broglie's,  prime  minister  here.  The 
Duchess's  sister,  the  Baroness  de  Stael,  with  whom  we 
both  have  long  been  acquainted,  is  here  also  at  present. 
They  both  are  pious  women.  Guizot  also,  another  of 
the  King's  ministers,  was  with  us  at  breakfast.  I  had 
wished  to  see  him,  and  thus  an  opportunity  was  given 
me  to  represent  to  him  the  sentiments  contained  in  some 
of  the  books  used  in  their  public  schools,  which  are  . 
not  in  accordance  with  pure  Christian  doctrine.  He 
promised  to  attend  to  this.  He  stated  also  that  he  has 
taken  measures  to  have  the  New  Testament  introduced 
in  all  the  public  schools,  for  which  purpose  he  has 
ordered  an  edition  of  forty  thousand  copies.  He  meets 
with  no  obstruction  to  it  from  the  bishops,  the  greatest 
is  from  some  of  the  priests.  After  he  and  the  Duke  had 
retired  to  go  to  the  Chambers,  we  had  with  the  two 
sisters  a  precious  opportunity  ;  they  know  the  language 
of  the  Spirit.  The  Duke,  wishing  to  have  more  time 
with  us,  pressed  us  to  take  a  family  dinner  witli  him  to- 
morrow. In  the  afternoon  we  had  religious  opportunities 
with  several  persons,  both  Protestants  and  Roman 
Catholics." 

Si)ain.  "  Tliis  morning  at  eleven  o'clock  we  went,  as 
appointed,  to  the  Count  D'Ofalia's;  he  manifested  great 
freedom  in  conversing  with  us  on  subjects  of  benevo- 
lence and  piety,  on  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  the  state  of  religion  in  Spain,  which  he  acknowledges 
to  be  very  low ;  he  told  us  that  he  was  yesterday  with 
the  King,  and  spoke  of  us  to  him  ;  he  informed  him  also 
of  our  intention  to  visit  their  prisons  and  other  institu- 


hand  of  the  tenderest  Fatlier.  Always  remember  me  before  the 
Lord.  When  I  call  to  mind  thy  patience,  thy  resignation,  thy 
advice,  I  feel  strengthened.  I  wish  you,  my  dear  children,  the 
Lord's  blessing.  Remember  me  in  His  presence  and  love,  as  she 
loves  you,  your  mother.  "  Grellet." 


rovRrii  VISIT  to  evrope. 


217 


tions ;  the  King  directed  that  an  order  for  our  admit- 
tance to  any  place  we  may  wish  to  visit  should  be  made 
out  in  his  own  name ;  he  also  requested  that  we  would 
furnish  him  with  any  remarks  we  may  make  in  these 
visits.  How  remarkable  that  the  Lord  should  thus  set 
an  open  door  before  us,  in  places  where,  but  a  very  little 
while  ago,  anarchy  prevailed,  streams  of  blood  flowed, 
and  the  prisons  were  crowded  with  innocent  victims. 
We  are  told  that,  in  some  parts  of  this  nation,  the  tyrants 
in  power,  after  putting  some  of  their  victims  to  a  cruel 
death,  made  out  bills  of  the  expenses  attending  the 
execution,  which  they  obliged  the  mournful  widows  to 

"  We  visited  several  of  their  prisons,  the  orphan  and 
poorhouse,  also  the  foundling  hospital,  which  is  a  large 
establishment ;  they  admit  yearly  from  eleven  to  twelve 
liundred  children. 

"  In  the  afternoon  we  had  a  meeting  at  Sir  Stratford 
Canning's,  with  his  family  and  a  few  others.  They 
appeared  to  appreciate  the  privilege  of  waiting  on  and 
worshipping  the  Lord.  In  the  evening,  our  meeting  at 
the  American  ambassador's  was  pretty  numerously 
attended.  A  number  of  Spaniards  were  there;  some 
we  had  not  seen  before;  as  they  all  understood  French, 
I  needed  not  the  help  of  an  interpreter.  Dear  Allen 
attempts  at  times  to  speak  in  French  also.  Some  of 
these  services  are  attended  with  deep  exercise.  How 
wonderfully  adapted  are  the  great  and  imi)ortant  truths 
of  the  gospel  to  every  condition  of  man  1  We  had  a 
solemn  meeting.  Several  ])arted  from  us  under  much 
seriousness. 

"  We  were  occupied  great  part  of  the  last  two  days  in 
preparing  a  report,  to  be  laid  before  the  King,  of  our 
visits  to  the  prisons  and  other  institutions  :  the  state  in 
which  we  find  them,  the  abuses  which  exist,  the  causes 


2lS 


STEP II EX  GRELLET. 


which  lead  to  the  commision  of  many  crimes,  and  the 
remedy  which  we  submit  for  consideration." 

"We  went  to  the  palace  about  the  time  appointed; 
the  Duke  of  Aragon  received  us  with  much  civihty  ;  they 
had  even  removed  the  military  that  almost  always  stand 
about  the  palace.  The  Duke  brought  us  up  the  great 
staircase  into  a  spacious  hall,  where  the  King's  immedi- 
ate attendants  were  in  waiting.  The  Chamberlain  soon 
brought  us  into  what  appeared  to  be  the  court  room ;  we 
saw  nobody  at  first,  but  very  soOn  a  plainly  dressed  person 
and  a  lady  came  towards  us,  holding  a  little  girl  by  the 
hands  between  them.  We  did  not  think  they  were  the 
King  and  Queen,  till  I  observed  her  features,  which  re- 
minded me  of  a  portrait  I  had  seen  of  her,  and  I 
queried,  '  Is  it  the  Queen  before  whom  we  stand  ? ' 
'  Yes,'  she  replied,  '  and  this  is  the  King,  and  here  is 
our  young  Princess,*  our  eldest,  two  and  a  half  years 
old.'  We  soon  explained  the  reason  of  our  embarrass- 
ment, for  we  did  not  expect  that  the  King  was  well 
enough  to  be  out  of  his  chamber,  and  feared  that  his 
standing  would  be  too  great  an  exertion  for  him ;  but 
they  declined  sitting  down.  After  some  remarks  respect- 
ing our  visits  to  their  public  institutions,  we  answered 
their  inquiries  on  several  subjects  relating  thereto,  in 
which  the  Queen  took  part  with  interest.  This  led  to 
subjects  of  a  religious  nature,  and  an  inquiry  into  some 
of  our  Christian  testimonies  and  practices ;  under  a  sense 
of  the  Lord's  power  and  love,  I  uncovered  my  head  and 
proclaimed  to  them,  as  the  Lord  through  His  Spirit  gave 
me,  the  word  of  reconciliation,  of  life  and  salvation 
through  faith  in  Christ.  I  felt  nuich  for  the  King  under 
the  severe  trials  that  have  attended  him,  and  the  remark- 
able manner  in  which  his  life  was  preserved  within  the 


*  Tlie  present  ex-Quecn  of  Spain,  Isabella  II. 


FOURTH  VISIT  TO  EUROPE. 


219 


last  few  months,  whilst  from  his  illness  he  was  in  a  state 
of  stupor,  and  the  prevailing  party  urged  the  physician  to 
have  the  post  inortcm  examination  made,  though  he  pro- 
tested that  he  was  not  dead  ;  it  was  at  that  very  juncture 
that  the  Queen's  party  obtained  the  ascendancy  and  the 
King's  life  was  preserved.  In  the  course  of  my  commu- 
nication I  alluded  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  remarked 
that  the  King  had,  like  him,  been  driven  out  of  his  king- 
dom (having  been  sent  a  prisoner  to  France  by  Buona- 
parte), had  endured  many  afflictions  and  humiliations, 
but  now  the  Lord  had  restored  his  kingdom,  and  had  in- 
structed him  to  know  that  it  is  by  Him  that  kings  reign 
and  princes  ought  to  decree  justice.  As  I  went  on,  the 
King  queried,  '  Who  is  this  King  Nebuchadnezzar  ? ' 
The  Queen  at  once  explained  to  him  in  what  part  of  the 
Scriptures  he  would  find  it.  Then  I  expressed  my 
earnest  desire  that,  like  him,  he  may  honour  the  Most 
High,  by  breaking  off  his  sins  by  righteousness,  and  his 
iniquities  by  showing  mercy  to  the  poor,  with  Christian 
faith  and  confidence  asking  of  God  to  give  him  wisdom 
and  knowledge,  to  go  out  and  come  in  before  the  people 
so  as  to  glorify  His  name.  We  also  entreated  the  King 
to  mark  the  last  years  of  his  reign  by  acts  of  clemency 
and  of  piety,  and  the  noble  deed  of  giving  to  his  subjects 
full  liberty  of  conscience,  not  doubting  that  they  would 
thus  be  crowned  with  the  Lord's  blessing,  and  that, 
finally,  his  earthly  crown  would  be  exchanged  for  a 
heavenly  one.  Both  the  King  and  Queen  were  serious, 
and  on  parting  gave  evidence  of  kind  feelings  towards  us. 
They  both  speak  good  French ;  therefore,  all  that  was 
communicated  was  in  that  language ;  none  were  present 
except  them  and  ourselves. 

"From  the  palace  we  went  to  dine  at  Sir  Stratford 
Canning's;  several  persons  came  in  afterwards,  with  whom 
we  had  a  time  of  religious  edification.    Oh  what  a  conso- 


220  STKPIIRN  GRELLET. 

lation  thus  to  find  among  those  who  occupy  high  stations 
in  life  a  few  who  walk  in  the  lowly  path  that  Christianity 
calls  us  into.  We  took  an  affectionate  farewell  of  this 
interesting  family." 

It  must  be  understood  that  the  foregoing  are  merely 
selections  from  the  Journal  of  Mr.  Grellet,  and  only  in- 
tended to  serve  as  specimens  of  unceasing  labours  day 
by  day  in  these  various  countries,  and  which  were  con- 
tinued for  the  space  of  three  years.  Everywhere  was 
he  faithfully  seeking  to  follow  the  Spirit  as  his  Guide. 
The  selections  have  not  included  his  references  to  natural 
scenery,  which  are  more  numerous  and  glowing  than  at 
an  earlier  period.  Otherwise  the  labours  thus  unremitted 
were  like  those  that  had  gone  before.  His  was  a  mission 
to  sufferers.  It  was  his  to  carry  everywhere  the  spirit  of 
Jesus,  who  carried  Himself  with  lowliness  to  all  men.  It 
was  his  everywhere  to  make  lighter  the  heavy  bonds  of 
prisoners ;  to  impart  to  little  children  in  foundling 
hospitals  and  poorhouses  the  elementary  truths  of  that 
gospel  he  loved ;  to  bear  witness  among  rulers  and 
princes  on  behalf  of  the  benevolent  sentiments  which 
Christianity  should  inspire ;  to  encourage  faithful  servants 
of  Christ ;  and  to  assist  in  lodging  that  living  seed  of 
truth  in  the  heart  of  humanity,  whose  blossoming  and 
fruits  are  now  preparing  a  way  for  the  coming  of  the 
Lord. 

The  last  meeting  Stephen  Grellet  attended  is  described. 
It  was  in  London,  at  Devonshire  House,  during  the 
Yearly  Meeting  ;  when  he  had  an  opportunity  fully  to 
relieve  his  mind,  and  his  communication  was  very  re- 
markable, rising  brighter  and  brighter  towards  the  close ; 
Elizabeth  J.  Fry  followed  in  supplication,  and  there  was 
a  very  solemn  feeling  over  the  meeting.  Afterwards,  in 
the  concluding  sitting  of  the  Meeting,  "when  the  business 
was  over,  he  again  rose  and  delivered  a  parting  exhorta- 


FOURTH  I'ISIT  TO  EUROPE.  221 

lion,  which  was  remarkably  solemn  and  impressive  ;  to 
some  he  addressed  the  language  of  warning,  and  he  had 
sweet  encouragement  for  the  aged,  and  for  tender,  visited 
minds ;  and  in  the  silence  at  the  close  there  was  a  deep 
feeling  of  solemnity,  and  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church, 
having  granted  some  precious  seasons,  was  pleased  to 
confirm  the  faith  of  His  servants  in  Him."  It  is  added, 
sorrowfully,  by  William  Allen  :  "  Dear  Stephen  Grellet 
was  with  us  for  the  last  time  ;  he  spoke  in  a  remarkable 
manner ;  it  was  indeed  a  faithful  communication. 
Several  Friends  were  with  us  at  our  lodgings,  and  before 
we  separated  we  felt  the  drawings  of  the  Father's  love, 
and,  after  a  time  of  silence,  Stephen  knelt  in  supplication. 
It  was  a  favoured  opportunity.  We  afterwards  walked 
to  Bishopsgate  Street,  to  John  Hustler's  lodgings,  and 
then  I  took  a  leave  of  him." 

Mr.  Grellet  arrived  at  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  in  July, 
1834.  He  had  travelled  during  this  last  European  jour- 
ney above  twenty-eight  thousand  miles.  His  first  act 
was  to  unite  with  his  wife  and  daughter  in  ascribing 
thanksgiving  and  praise  to  the  Lord.  After  this  William 
Allen  writes  :  "  I  have  had  a  sweet  letter  from  dear 
Grellet  since  he  reached  home ;  he  is  in  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  his  dear  Master's  peace,  and  his  heart  is  filled 
with  love  to  all  those  among  whom  he  has  laboured.  ' 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  CLOSING  YEARS. 

IT  was  the  desire  of  Dr.  Thomas  Chalmers  that  the 
seventh  decade  of  his  years  should  form  the  sabbath  of 
his  life.  The  prayer  was  granted.  In  Stephen  Grellet's 
history  there  were  two  such  sabbatic  periods  ;  and  in  his 
case  as  in  that  of  Chalmers  there  was  the  further  fulfil- 
ment of  the  promise,  "  they  shall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old 
age."  These  twenty  years  were  passed  by  him  at  Bur- 
lington, New  Jersey.  A  newspaper  of  that  place  recorded 
of  him  after  his  decease  :  "  As  a  citizen  among  us  we 
may  safely  quote  the  Scripture  language  of  St.  Paul,  '  ye 
are  witnesses  how  holily,  justly,  and  unblameably  he  be- 
haved himself  among  you."  The  paper  spoke  also  of 
his  "gentle,  kindly,  true  heartedness,"  of  his  "shining 
footsteps,"  and  of  "  the  unmistakable  halo  of  good  to  be 
felt  about  him."  Another  record  bears  witness  of  his 
"cheerfulness  blended  with  a  quiet  unassuming  dignity," 
of  his  "  courteousness  and  affability";  "his  look  was 
love,  his  salutation  peace."  The  Lord  has  often  granted 
to  not  a  few  of  His  ministers  to  preach  in  their  last  years 
by  their  lives,  when  their  voice  was  no  longer  heard  as 
heretofore. 

Thus  those  last  twenty  years  were  passed.  His  mind 
continually  dwelt  in  perfect  peace.  He  was  increasingly 
alive  to  all  the  beauties  and  enjoyments  of  life;  but  his 
aspect  was  so  serene,  his  demeanour  so  tranquil,  his 
tones  so  affectionate,  as  to  bespeak  the  habitual  con- 
sciousness of  the  Divine  presence.     He  knew  what 


THE  CLOSING  YEARS. 


223 


suffering  was,  for  a  painful  malady  was  upon  him.  Eut 
lie  remarked  :  "  My  Saviour  is  my  joy,  the  rock  of  my 
strength,  my  song,  my  hope  for  ever  and  ever.  He  who 
gives  strength  to  suffer  gives  love  also  to  endure."  "By 
night  and  by  day  my  dear  Redeemer  and  His  Spirit  are 
near  me.  In  ray  sleep,  in  my  waking  hours,  the  thoughts 
of  my  heart  are  towards  the  Lord,  and  sweet  and  refresh- 
ing." He  spoke  also  of  his  intercessions  in  the  night 
seasons  for  those  he  loved,  and  whom  his  sixty  years' 
ministry  had  embraced,  and  which  were  often  "pleasanter 
than  even  sleep." 

During  most  of  those  twenty  years  he  regularly 
attended  the  Burlington  meeting  on  the  Lord's  Day ; 
he  frequently  travelled  far  to  be  present  at  the  Friends' 
Yearly  Meetings  in  different  Northern  States;  he  kept  up 
an  extensive  correspondence  with  Friends  in  Europe,  and 
as  opportunity  offered  engaged  in  witnessing  for  the  Lord 
Jesus  in  every  Christian  communion.  Years  after,  men 
recalled  his  wise  and  powerful  words  as  he  preached  on 
such  passages  as  "  Joy  in  believing,"  "  Where  is  your 
faith  ?  "  "  I  am  ready  to  be  offered,"  and  "  Blessed  be 
God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Father  of  mercies  and  the  God  of  all  comfort ;  who  com- 
forteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to 
comfort  them  which  are  in  any  trouble  by  the  comfort 
wherewith  we  are  comforted  of  God."  The  old  charm 
of  sympathy,  tenderness,  reality,  and  "  vitality  "  was  with 
him  to  the  last.  Men  also  remind  themselves  to  this 
day  of  his  public  prayers,  so  humble,  benevolent,  and 
fervent. 

The  end  came  in  the  autumn  of  1855.  As  it  approached, 
he  said  with  a  radiant  smile :  "My  heart  and  my  strength 
faileth,  but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my 
portion  for  ever."  There  was  severe  pain  j  but  the 
language  of  heart  and  lip  was  that  of  Him  to  whom  his 


224  STEPHEN  GKELLET. 

eye  was  ever  turned,  "  Not  my  will  but  Thine  be  done." 
He  presented  the  petition  that  the  pain  might  be  reUeved 
before  the  final  emergency.  The  prayer  was  answered ; 
the  pain  ceased.  In  full  possession  of  his  faculties,  and 
with  the  light  and  peace  on  his  face  of  one  who  was  rest- 
ing in  cloudless  communion  with  his  Saviour,  and  with- 
out "tasting  death,"  his  spirit  passed  away  to  join  the 
glorified  companies  of  the  immortals. 

A  distinguished  statesman,  himself  a  Friend,  spoke  on 
one  occasion  of  "  the  small  and  inconsiderable  sect  of 
which  I  am  a  member."  Had  all  larger  sects  been  as 
anxious  as  that  of  the  Quakers  to  do  justly,  and  to  make 
that  their  end  which  was  the  end  of  Christ's  work  and 
ministry — the  relieving  of  the  sufferings,  and  the  perfec- 
tion of  humanity,  a  very  different  world  should  we  have 
had  to  live  in  to-day. 

If  now  the  Society  of  Friends  has  ceased  to  augment  in 
numbers,  let  them  know  that  not  only  have  most  of  the 
humane  principles  they  have  advocated  triumphed,  but 
many  also  of  their  customs  have  been  adopted  by  other 
evangelical  Protestants.  Once  they  stood  almost  alone  in 
their  testimony  against  an  exclusive  ministerial  caste  in  the 
church.  Now  their  principle  of  recognising  the  preach- 
ing gifts  of  laymen  is  all  but  universally  adopted.  The 
danger  at  present  is  that  of  not  guarding,  as  they  have 
done,  the  liberty  of  prophesying.  But  in  these  days  lay 
evangelists  are  ungrudgingly  honoured,  and  among 
Christians  in  the  two  hemispheres  they  are  often  held  to 
be  among  the  ablest  preachers  of  the  gospel.  Further 
than  this,  that  recognition  of  the  public  service  of  woman 
in  the  furtherance  of  the  welfare  of  men,  which  once 
was  almost  peculiar  to  Friends,  is  now  a  mark  of  the 
Christian  community  generally.    The  inconsistent  sneer 


THE  CLOSING  YEARS. 


225 


of  worldly  persons  who  can  listen  with  approval  to  the 
public  and  solo  singing  of  women,  and  to  their  favourite 
actresses,  is  no  longer  allowed  to  support  an  objection  to 
the  public  advocacy  of  women  on  behalf  of  what  is  pure 
and  merciful.  There  was  a  time  when  "  silent  waiting  on 
the  Lord"  was  a  custom  almost  exclusively  confined  to 
the  Friends.  Such  silent  seasons  for  individual  petitions, 
and  for  that  "contriting"  and  "tendering"  which  Stephen 
Grellet  counted  the  sign  above  all  of  the  Spirit's  presence, 
are  now  far  from  unusual  in  Christian  assemblies.  It 
may  be  added,  the  political  purpose  of  the  Friends  to 
take  part  in  making  straight  the  crooked  ways  of  the 
world,  and  making  plain  its  rough  places,  is,  in  these  last 
years,  much  more  the  mark  than  formerly  of  devout 
persons.  It  is  pleasant  to  say  these  things.  If  the 
witnesses  clothed  in  sackcloth  for  many  years  have 
finished  their  testimony,  it  is  because  the  truths  have 
been  accepted  for  which  they  suffered. 

May  the  author  of  this  Life  of  Stephen  Grellet  be 
permitted  to  record  that  to  him,  amidst  pastoral  and 
public  duties,  it  has  been  with  pleasant  memories  he  has 
followed  the  course  of  this  great  and  remarkable  man. 
It  was  his  privilege  to  stand  by  the  side  of  Friends  in 
Reading  for  a  few  years,  and  in  Leeds  for  ten  years,  in 
services  on  behalf  of  popular  education,  abolition  of 
slavery,  and  other  public  questions.  Frequently  has  he 
united  with  them  elsewhere  in  the  course  of  a  ministry  of 
more  than  thirty  years.  He  recalls  with  a  tender  admi- 
ration the  remembrance  of  their  honourableness,  wisdom, 
firmness,  large  mindedness,  and  their  unvarying  courtesy 
and  deference  to  the  opinions  of  others.  It  is  grateful 
to  him  to  remind  this  generation  of  men  to  whom  this 
country  and  the  world  are  under  such  abiding  obligations, 
"  inconsiderable  "  though  they  may  esteem  themselves. 
One  supreme  principle  of  the  Friends  remains  to  be 

Q 


226  STEPHEN  GRELLET. 

more  and  more  maintained  and  developed.  That  is,  as 
the  Life  and  Mission  of  Stephen  Grellet  teach,  that  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  is  the  silent,  patient,  inspiring,  and  ever 
guiding  Presence  among  men,  until  the  second  great 
Epiphany,  and  is  the  abiding  witness  for  Jesus  in  a  world 
on  which  the  cross  of  Calvary  has  been  lifted  up.  In  these 
last  days,  when  the  faithful  application  of  the  teaching 
of  holy  Scripture  to  the  new  conditions  of  society  is  per- 
plexing and  difficult,  the  Spirit  will  guide  and  counsel  as 
we  supremely  aim  and  pray  to  be  in  complete  subjection 
to  His  perpetual  motions.  Then  we  shall  have  help 
wisely  to  work,  and  patiently  to  wait,  for  the  final  setting 
up  of  Christ's  kingdom  among  men. 


"  Let  us  toil  on  ;  the  work  we  have  behind  us, 

Though  incomplete,  God's  hand  will  yet  embalm, 
And  use  it  some  way  ;  and  the  news  will  find  us 
In  heaven  above,  and  sweeten  endless  calm." 


Butler      Tanner,  The  Selwood  Printing  Works,  Frame,  and  Londen. 


HODDER  AND  STOUGHTON'S 

SERIES  OF  POPULAR  BIOGRAPHIES. 

Price  HALF-A-CROWN  each,  to  be  issued 
at  \brief  intervals. 


HENRY  MARTYN. 

By  the  Rev. 

CHARLES  D.  BELL,  D.D., 

Honorary  Canon  of  Carlisle,  and  Rector  of  Cheltenham. 

Author  of  "  Night  Scenes  of  the  Bible,"  "  Hills  that  bring  Peace," 
"Voices  from  the  Lakes,  and  other  Poems,"  etc. 


WILLIAM  WILBERFORCE. 

By  the  Rev. 

JOHN  STOUGHTON,  D.D., 

Author  of"  Homes  and  Haunts  of  Luther,"  "  History  of 
Religion  in  England,"  etc. 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE. 

By  the  Rev. 
CHARLES  STANFORD,  D.D., 
Author  of  "Joseph  Alleine,"  "Homilies  on  Christian  Work." 


STEPHEN  GRELLET. 

By  the  Rev. 

WILLIAM  GUEST,  F.G.S., 

Author  of  "  Fidelia  Fiske,"  "  The  Young  Man's  Safeguard  in 
the  Perils  of  the  Age,"  etc. 


RICHARD  BAXTER. 

By  the  Rev. 
G.  D.  BOYLE,  M.A., 
Dean  of  Salisbury,  and  late  Vicar  of  Kidderminster. 


London  :  HODDER  AND  STOUGHTON,  27,  Paternoster  Row. 


JOHN  KNOX. 

By  the  Rev. 
WILLIAM  M.  TA  YLOR,  D.D., 

Of  New  York, 

Author  of  "  The  Limitations  of  Life,"  etc. 


WILLIAM  CAREY. 

By  the  Rev. 
JAMES  CULROSS,  D.D., 
Author  of  "  The  Disciple  whom  Jesus  Loved." 

ROBERT  HALL. 

By  the  Rev. 

E.  PAXTON  HOOD, 

Author  of  "  The  World  of  Anecdote,"  "  The  Romance  of 
Biography,"  etc. 

FLETCHER    OF  MADELEY. 

By  the  Rev. 
F.  IV.  MACDONALD. 


JOHN  WYCLIFFE. 

By  the  Rev. 

JAMES  FLEMING,  B.D., 

Hon.  Chaplain  to  the  Queen,  Canon  of  York,  and  Vicar  of 
St.  Michael's,  Chester  Square. 

THOMAS    CHALMERS,    D.D.,  LL.D. 

By  the  Rev. 
DONALD  ERASER,  D.D., 
Author  of  "  Blending  Lights,"  etc. 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 

By  the  Rev. 
H.  SINCLAIR  PATERSON,  M.D., 
Author  of  "  Studies  in  Life,"  etc. 


London-:  HODDERAND  STOUCtHTON,27,  Paternoster  Row. 


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